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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24297310">Three To Get Ready</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpongeAddict/pseuds/SpongeAddict'>SpongeAddict</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Scooby Doo: Origins [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Scooby Doo - All Media Types, Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated (Cartoon 2010)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:53:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>80,898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24297310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpongeAddict/pseuds/SpongeAddict</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The third in the Origins series. Second semester of senior year finds the gang stressing about college and their relationships. On top of that, somebody's leaving Velma creepy secret admirer notes. With events like prom and graduation rapidly approaching, will they be able to solve the mystery and keep their relationships alive? Shelma and Fraphne. Rated M for language, alcohol references, graphic romance, violence, and other mature themes. Comments appreciated!<br/>Ch 1: Sixteen Going On Seventeen<br/>Ch 2: In Love With The 80's (Pink Tux to the Prom)<br/>Ch 3: Earth, Wind, Fire, and Air<br/>Ch 4: Some Enchanted Evening<br/>Ch 5: I Wanna Hold Your Hand<br/>Ch 6: Tell Her About It<br/>Ch 7: Can't Take My Eyes Off of You<br/>Ch 8: I Really Like You<br/>Ch 9: Saturday Night's Alright<br/>Ch 10: Every Breath You Take<br/>Ch 11: You Oughta Know<br/>Ch 12: Truth Hurts<br/>Ch 13: Everything Has Changed<br/>Ch 14: Brave<br/>Ch 15 PART 1: Where Are You Now?<br/>Ch 15 PART 2: The Great Escape<br/>Ch 16: A Thousand Years<br/>Ch 17: Pomp and Circumstance</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daphne Blake/Fred Jones, Velma Dinkley/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Scooby Doo: Origins [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1653307</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Sixteen Going On Seventeen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everybody! I hope you're excited for this third installment in the Origins series, Three To Get Ready. Some preliminary info: You don't HAVE to have read either of the first two stories in this series to enjoy this one, though people who have read the first two will find some good references and call-backs to my earlier stories. In the world of the series, about a year and a half has passed since the events of the last story. Two For The Show ended in November of their junior year, and Three To Get Ready opens in February of their senior year. Hopefully that time jump isn't super confusing, but all this to say is that a little more than a year has passed since the end of the last story.</p><p> </p><p>One final announcement: you'll notice we're starting with an M rating right off the bat. This is due to the fact that this story is the darkest one in the series so far. Please read at your own risk! Warnings for this chapter include language and some graphic Shelma romance. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna-Barbera. A few lines near the end are taken directly from the first episode of "Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated." You'll probably know them when you see them. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 1: Sixteen Going On Seventeen</strong>
</p><p>"Like where the hell did I put it?" Shaggy Rogers muttered to himself, frantically going through the drawers of the desk in his bedroom. His friends were going to arrive any minute to pick him up for school, and he needed to find the envelope soon if he wanted to be on time.</p><p>"Raybe re rould rave rooked refore reakfast?" This was said by his Great Dane, Scooby Doo, who was currently sniffing around under Shaggy's bed.</p><p>"Yeah but like, then we wouldn't have had time to eat," Shaggy pointed out. Food was one of the most important aspects in the lives of the two best friends.</p><p>"Rood roint," Scooby admitted. "Rey! Rye round it!" Triumphantly, the dog pulled a rumpled white envelope out of the pocket of a pair of brown jeans that had somehow ended up under the bed.</p><p>Shaggy breathed a sigh of relief. "Like, thank God," he muttered. "Are they all in there?"</p><p>Scooby opened the envelope and looked inside. "Rep. Rall rive!"</p><p>"Good." Shaggy took the envelope and stuffed it into the pocket of the brown jeans he currently wore – similar to the jeans the envelope had originally been found in.</p><p>Scooby grinned at his master. "Relma's roing to re rexcited."</p><p>Shaggy nodded. "Like, I hope you're right, Scoob."</p><p>Today was their friend Velma Dinkley's birthday. Shaggy'd had an idea for a gift for her, which he'd asked their other friends Fred Jones and Daphne Blake to help pitch in for. He was feeling pretty excited himself, to present the gift to her. The five of them – Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby – had been inseparable for the past few years, ever since Shaggy and Scooby had moved to Coolsville, Ohio from Vista Heights, California in the middle of their sophomore year. They were seniors now, and Shaggy was still amazed at the fact that he'd managed to find such close friends. Of course, a lot of the closeness had to do with the fact that the five of them spent a lot of their free time solving mysteries around their small town. They called themselves "Mystery Incorporated," and conducted their business at the local library. Since their first case, the gang had solved numerous other crimes, and were well-known around town for their curious – and occasionally meddling – nature. Shaggy and Scooby, admittedly, didn't care much for the terror that came with chasing after monsters and ghosts, but they hadn't had a mystery to solve in a while. For this, Shaggy was a little grateful – senior year was a bit much to handle. Thankfully, everyone had submitted all their college applications and now there was nothing left to do but play the waiting game. They were supposed to hear back from their schools within the next few months, but the stress was starting to get to them. Shaggy hoped the gift that he and the gang had planned for Velma would help take their minds off it all.</p><p>What the gang didn't know was that Shaggy and Velma had been secretly dating for the past year.</p><p>It had started off innocently enough – they'd been cast as love interests in the fall musical in eleventh grade, and had needed to work on their chemistry. But it had escalated quickly and what had started as a physical attraction had turned into a full-blown relationship in a matter of months. Shaggy had always found Velma attractive, especially as time had gone on and she'd begun to fill out. But of course there was more to his attraction to her than that. She was quick-witted, and brilliant, and funny. She was kind and caring. She could be stubborn and hard-headed, but he liked that about her, usually.</p><p>The biggest issue with their relationship was that it was a secret. They hadn't told Fred and Daphne, who had just celebrated their two-year dating anniversary last month. But Shaggy wasn't worried about their reaction – in fact, both he and Velma knew that Fred and Daphne would be thrilled. No, Fred and Daphne weren't the problem. The problem was Scooby Doo. Shaggy had seen the way Scooby responded whenever they caught Fred and Daphne together, which was getting more frequent as time went on, and Scooby's reaction was never positive. Shaggy knew that it would be way worse if Scooby found out about his relationship with Velma, so they'd kept it a secret all this time while Shaggy tried to figure out a way to tell Scooby about them. Shaggy knew that Velma was getting impatient, and rightfully so. He just couldn't figure out the right timing.</p><p>But aside from all that, their relationship was great.</p><p>"Norville!"</p><p>The sound of his given name being called up the stairs yanked Shaggy from his reverie.</p><p>"Like what, Mom?" he called back.</p><p>"Your friends have arrived!" Mrs. Rogers replied.</p><p>Eyes widening, Shaggy glanced out the window and saw a green-and-orange psychedelic van pull into the cul-de-sac.</p><p>"Zoinks!" he exclaimed. "Let's go, Scoob!" Shaggy grabbed his bookbag, pulled on a coat, and he and Scooby raced downstairs, calling goodbye to Shaggy's mother as they left.</p><p>The van, which the gang called "The Mystery Machine," had rolled to a stop at the end of Shaggy's driveway. Normally Shaggy and Scooby were the last stop before they went to school, but the route had been changed slightly this morning because Daphne wanted to decorate the van for Velma. Shaggy and Scooby opened the back doors of the Mystery Machine and climbed in.</p><p>"Zoinks," he said again when he saw the back of the van. "Nice work, Daph."</p><p>Daphne shrugged and grinned humbly. "Thanks. It was nothing, really." The redhead had decorated the back of the van with streamers and balloons, and was just pinning up a banner that said "Happy Birthday, Velma!" All the balloons had the number 16 on them, as it was her sixteenth birthday. While Shaggy and Fred were both eighteen (Fred's birthday having been last month, and Shaggy's back at the end of November) and Daphne was seventeen (her birthday was on Christmas), Velma had skipped a grade in elementary school and thus was just now turning sixteen. It never ceased to amaze Shaggy how she was able to not only keep up with everyone socially, but she was leaps and bounds ahead of them academically. She was taking all AP classes and had sent in college applications to every Ivy League school – and she had high hopes of getting in to all of them. Shaggy sometimes didn't understand why Velma liked him. He was an idiot compared to her.</p><p>"You got the tickets?" asked Fred, who was driving. Daphne climbed out of the car and got into the passenger seat so Shaggy and Scooby could crowd into the back.</p><p>Shaggy patted the pocket of his jeans. "Yep. Like, got 'em right here."</p><p>"Ret's ro!" Scooby barked, eager to see the look on Velma's face when they surprised her like this.</p><p>It didn't take long to drive to Velma's, as she only lived one street over from Shaggy and Scooby. She was already waiting on her front porch when they pulled up, and Shaggy felt his heart accelerate slightly, as it always did when he saw her.</p><p>"SURPRISE!" everyone shouted when Velma opened the back doors and saw all the decorations.</p><p>Her mouth fell open in shock before a brilliant smile took over. "Jinkies!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "You guys didn't have to go to all this trouble just for me." She climbed in, pushing balloons out of the way as she went.</p><p>"Sure we did," Daphne replied, reaching over the seat to give Velma's arm a squeeze. "It's not every day your best friend turns sixteen."</p><p>"Speaking of," Shaggy added. "Like, what are you doing this weekend?"</p><p>Velma looked at him confusedly for a moment, and Shaggy suddenly wondered about the implication. Did that sound like he was asking her on a date? "Why?" she asked hesitantly.</p><p>"It's part of our present to you," Fred told her. "But it only works if you're free this weekend."</p><p>Shaggy breathed a sigh of relief that Fred had come to the rescue. Velma looked mollified. "Well lucky for you all, I am free this weekend," she said. "So what's the big surprise?"</p><p>Shaggy reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope. "Happy birthday, Velm," he said, handing it to her.</p><p>Her reaction was just as Shaggy had hoped it would be. She looked inside, gasped, covered her mouth with her hand, and shrieked.</p><p>"Holy shit!" she cried. You could always tell that Velma was feeling overwhelmed when she needed a stronger exclamation than 'jinkies.' "You guys got me tickets to see The Hex Girls?!"</p><p>"We know they're your favorite band," Fred told her. "And they don't come to Coolsville much, do they?"</p><p>Velma shook her head, still staring astounded at the tickets. "No, they're based out of Massachusetts, and they don't go on tour very often. I had no idea you'd planned this!"</p><p>"It was Shaggy's idea," Daphne told her. "He called us the minute tickets went on sale and told us that we should surprise you for your birthday."</p><p>Velma looked up. Her eyes found Shaggy's, and he felt heat rise to his face. He couldn't always help his body's reactions when it came to her, and he was convinced that one of these days, it would give them away.</p><p>"I love it," she said sincerely. "Thank you." She embraced Shaggy, and he allowed himself to enjoy, albeit briefly, her scent and the feel of her arms around him. He really did like her, a lot. He might even…</p><p><em>No! Stop! Like, don't even go there. </em>Shaggy forced the thought out of his brain. He couldn't think too hard about the intensity of his feelings for Velma – there was too much to unpack, and it confused him. Plus, he knew he had to tell Scooby about their relationship before he admitted anything to Velma.</p><p>To keep up appearances, Velma let go of Shaggy and hugged Scooby and Daphne in turn. She would have hugged Fred too, but he was driving, so she settled for placing a hand on his shoulder. "All of you," she said to the group at large. "This is the best birthday ever!"</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>When they arrived at school, the gang found that a group of Velma's friends from the science club had decorated her locker. They could tell the science club had done it because the wrapping paper they used was decorated with different chemical structures and the club president, Marcie Fleach, was waiting by Velma's locker when the gang arrived.</p><p>"Happy birthday, V!" she said, grinning at the group. Shaggy'd met her briefly a few years ago at Fred's birthday, but he'd been seeing a lot more of her lately due to Velma's re-involvement with the science club. She'd taken a break from it last year, but they'd asked her to come back, so she had.</p><p>Velma gasped again. "Marcie, this is great! Thank you!" The girls hugged.</p><p>"Hey, Dinks!" A familiar New York accent announced the arrival of the gang's friend Tony Moretti. "Happy birthday," he grinned, enveloping her in a one-armed hug.</p><p>"Thanks, Tony," Velma replied with a smile, returning the hug. Shaggy bristled a little. He couldn't help it. Even though he and Velma were secretly dating, he still felt a little twinge of jealousy anytime she interacted with Tony, who had been her boyfriend once. Incidentally, Tony was the only one who knew Shaggy and Velma's secret, as he had caught them once while they'd been in the play.</p><p>"Rey, Rony!" Scooby barked. Scooby had always liked Tony, and he didn't understand why Shaggy always went a bit stiff whenever Tony came around.</p><p>"How's it goin, Scoob?" Tony patted Scooby on the head, then glanced at Velma's locker. "Fleachy, did you do this?"</p><p>Marcie grinned humbly and looked at the ground. "Well, me and a few other people from the science club."</p><p>"It's awesome. Hey, speaking of science, what did you all think of that guided reading we had to do for AP Bio? It kinda made my head spin." Tony said this to Velma, Marcie, and Fred. Daphne and Shaggy were both taking regular biology for their science credits. The AP Bio students talked about their class for a while until the warning bell rang.</p><p>"Crap! I gotta head to the main office," Fred exclaimed. He had once again been elected to be the class representative, which meant that it was his job to make announcements for the twelfth grade over the PA system every morning. He quickly kissed Daphne, nodded farewell to Marcie and Tony, then called "See you in homeroom, gang!" to the rest of his friends before jogging off.</p><p>"I should get to homeroom too," Tony said. "Fleachy, wanna walk with me? We're going to the same place."</p><p>Marcie nodded. "Sure thing." She grinned at Velma. "Happy birthday again."</p><p>"Thanks, Marce," Velma replied, also with a smile. Tony and Marcie headed down the hall while Velma turned to her locker to drop off some textbooks she wouldn't need till after lunch.</p><p>When she opened the locker, a slip of paper fell out.</p><p>"Rut's rhat?" Scooby asked, picking up the paper when it drifted down and landed at his feet.</p><p>Shaggy's face hardened. "Is it like, another secret admirer note?" Someone had been leaving notes in Velma's locker since September, all signed from her 'secret admirer.' It had been driving Shaggy crazy, especially since he couldn't tell anyone about <em>why </em>it made him crazy.</p><p>Daphne took the note from Scooby and opened it. "Dear Velma," she read.</p><p>"I know today is your birthday</p><p>So this is just a poem to say</p><p>That I hope this special day</p><p>Is perfect for you in every way.</p><p>From, Your Secret Admirer."</p><p>"Not much of a poet, is he?" Shaggy pointed out. "He like, used the word 'day' twice in the same rhyme."</p><p>"Roo ris it from?" Scooby asked, as he did every time Velma got a secret admirer note.</p><p>"I don't know," Velma replied, as <em>she </em>did every time Scooby asked. And it was true – Velma had no idea. For a hot second in the very beginning, she thought they might be from Shaggy, until she noticed how annoyed he was by them. And she knew he would never do something that obvious. She took the note from Daphne, stuffed her textbooks in her locker, and shut the door. "Come on," she said. "Let's go to homeroom."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Homeroom was the only class the whole gang shared. They also had the same lunch and study hall periods, but those were the only times they were all together. Scooby and Shaggy shared every class, as Scooby was Shaggy's emotional support dog. Shaggy, Velma, and Daphne all had AP English together. Velma and Daphne had AP US Government together. Daphne and Fred were together in AP French. Shaggy and Fred had the same Discreet Math class. Fred and Velma were together in AP Bio. Shaggy and Velma were together in AP Spanish. They all took different electives – Fred was in student government, Shaggy was in art, Daphne was in drama, and Velma was in chamber band.</p><p>After lunch, the gang headed to the library together for study hall. Each grade had its own designated place – seniors were in the library, juniors in the auditorium, sophomores in the basement, and freshmen in the lecture hall. There wasn't supposed to be any talking during study hall, but Shaggy whispered to Velma as they sat down at a table before the bell rang. Fred, Daphne, and Scooby weren't far behind, so their conversation was quick.</p><p>"Like, wanna come over tonight?"</p><p>Velma's heartbeat sped up in anticipation. Shaggy's house – specifically the finished basement – was the easiest place for the two of them to go when they wanted alone time together. Velma's parents always believed her when she said that she was going to Shaggy's to "study," while Shaggy's parents went to bed early and Scooby always fell asleep during movies – all Shaggy had to do was put on a (non-scary) film, and Scooby would be out like a light.</p><p>"Ten o'clock?" Velma whispered back. It was usually the time she'd come over for things like this.</p><p>Shaggy nodded. "Like, can't wait."</p><p>Velma bit her lip. "Me neither." They shared a secret smile. Shaggy gave her hand a squeeze, but dropped it as Scooby, Fred, and Daphne arrived.</p><p>Shaggy had actually proven himself several times to be a thoughtful and attentive boyfriend – when he wanted to be. He was still nervous at the prospect of being caught by Scooby before he had an opportunity to tell him, but when they were alone together, Shaggy was always sweet and gentle with Velma, holding her close and kissing her softly. And though they hadn't done anything they weren't ready for, Shaggy was rather good at being physically intimate – at least, in Velma's experience, which was extremely limited. Shaggy was the only person she'd ever so much as made out with, let alone taken clothes off for.</p><p>The thought of being alone with Shaggy later tonight was enough to distract Velma from study hall, and she had to keep shaking herself from imagining their evening together so she could concentrate on her notes. It was a blessed moment when the bell rang and she could go to AP Bio, where the lesson was sure to keep her mind otherwise occupied.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Later that night, after her favorite dinner and birthday cake at home with her parents and younger sister, Velma bundled up against the cold and headed out the back door. Cutting through the woods was the shortest distance from her house to Shaggy's. In the forest, she passed by an old oak tree and grinned to herself, remembering the first mystery they'd ever solved, which had ended at that oak tree.</p><p>On the other side of the tree line, she saw the lights from Shaggy's house, and sped up. He was standing at the back door of his house and opened it when she approached, beckoning her in.</p><p>"Hey," she said quietly. She felt herself go a little pink. Even after all this time, she still felt a little nervous and excited when they met up.</p><p>"Like, hey," he replied, his voice just as low. He closed the back door as she entered and Velma took off her coat, draping it over her arm. They carefully made their way to the basement and silently shut the door behind them.</p><p>"Everyone asleep?" she asked as she followed him downstairs.</p><p>"Yep," Shaggy answered. "Mom and Dad went to bed like an hour ago, and I put on 'To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before' for Scoob. He always falls asleep within like, the first five minutes."</p><p>Velma smiled. "Good."</p><p>As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, they kissed. Their arms curled around each other as they stumbled backwards to sit down on a couch. Velma dropped her hand between them to sneak it under Shaggy's shirt. He sighed at the contact and deepened the kiss as his own hand traveled up Velma's leg under her skirt, causing her to break away with a sharp gasp.</p><p>"Happy birthday," he murmured, crawling his fingers further up her thigh.</p><p>Velma shut her eyes and bit her lip. "Is this part of my present?" They often talked like this when they were alone together – equal parts teasing and sensual.</p><p>"Like maybe," Shaggy replied, moving his hand between her legs. She threw her head back and let out a small sigh.</p><p>"You've already gotten me Hex Girl tickets," she said quietly.</p><p>"Like do you want me to stop?" he murmured, his tone teasing.</p><p>Velma shook her head 'no' emphatically. "Keep going. Please."</p><p>Shaggy obeyed and as Velma reacted to his touch, he felt his own body respond. It was like this every time, no matter how often they hooked up. He pushed the cowl of her sweater down so he could suck and bite along the tender flesh of her neck.</p><p>"Mmm," she sighed. "You better be careful or you'll give me a hickey."</p><p>"Well then," Shaggy said, not stopping. "It's like, a good thing you wear this adorable turtleneck every day."</p><p>"Oh, you think my sweater is adorable?" Velma whispered, dancing her hands down Shaggy's torso to fiddle at the waistband of his jeans.</p><p>"Yes," Shaggy groaned in response, moving his head up to whisper in her ear. "Though I like, think it would look even better on the floor."</p><p>Velma laughed at the line. "Are you hitting on me?" she teased.</p><p>"Like, what do you think?" he murmured, caressing her between her legs again. Velma struggled to suppress a moan. In response, her own hand slipped beneath the confines of his jeans and boxers, causing a passionate growl to emit from his throat as he felt her soft fingers on him.</p><p>As they made out, eventually Velma's sweater did end up on the floor, along with Shaggy's green v-neck. Socks and shoes followed, and soon after, Shaggy's pants and Velma's skirt. They were lying on the couch now, just in their underwear, Velma trembling beneath Shaggy as he kissed her shoulders, her collarbone, and the valley of her chest while his fingers continued to explore between her legs.</p><p>Velma was vocally responsive, whimpering Shaggy's name over and over again, which Shaggy absolutely loved. Shaggy was pretty vocal himself, groaning or gasping harshly whenever Velma's hand under his boxers brushed him a certain way. They still had to watch their volume because even though two floors separated them from Scooby and Shaggy's parents, they knew from experience that they could get carried away. It wasn't perfect, but they would take what they could get.</p><p>Later, as they lay on the couch holding each other, Velma said, "I feel like I'm getting better at being quiet."</p><p>They were both still in just their underwear, though they had pulled a blanket over them from the back of the couch. Velma's left arm was across Shaggy's torso with her head resting on his chest. Shaggy had her in the crook of his arm and stroked her bare shoulder. "Okay," he said with a sarcastic chuckle. "Like, keep telling yourself that, Velm."</p><p>She shoved him playfully. "Come on," she said. "Give me some credit. It's not like you're making it any easier."</p><p>Shaggy shrugged. "It's like, not my fault I have better control of my noise level than you." He grinned at her. "What's the matter? Like, afraid to admit that I'm better than you at something?" He snuck two fingers into her exposed underarm and tickled her.</p><p>She swatted his hand away, squirming and giggling. "Okay, okay," she said as he stopped. "I admit, you have better volume control than I do. But just barely." She raised an eyebrow. "When Tony caught us, he did say we were both loud."</p><p>"Like speaking of Tony," Shaggy continued. "Are you like, absolutely sure he's not your secret admirer?"</p><p>Velma groaned. This was not the first time they'd had this conversation. "Come on Shaggy, not again."</p><p>"I'm like, just saying," Shaggy exclaimed. "He did go out with you before."</p><p>"Yeah, a million years ago, and neither of us felt romantically about the other one," Velma reminded him. "Besides, he's the only one who knows about the two of us. Why would he write secret admirer notes if he knows you and I are together?"</p><p>Shaggy, having no response, simply shrugged.</p><p>Velma sighed and shook her head. "It's not Tony, Shag. Trust me." She looked at him seriously. "You know," she pointed out. "Maybe I wouldn't be getting these notes if more people knew about us…"</p><p>Now it was Shaggy's turn to groan. "Velm, I told you…"</p><p>"Come on," she insisted. "Daphne and Fred are going to find out sooner or later."</p><p>"I'm not worried about them," he responded, "It's Scooby Doo – he's my best friend. I wanna break it to him like, gently. I'm just waiting for the right time."</p><p>"When will that be?" Velma asked. "We've been at this for over a year now."</p><p>"I know. I'm sorry," Shaggy sighed. He reached for her hand. "Just like, a little longer. I promise."</p><p>Velma sighed as well. "I'm sorry, too. I know it's hard for you. And for him."</p><p>Shaggy kissed her hair. "You know how much I like, hate sneaking around, right? It would be so much better if it wasn't a secret." He sighed again. "I promise I'll like, figure something out soon."</p><p>"Okay. I trust you," Velma replied, turning her head to kiss his collarbone.</p><p>"Like good," Shaggy said, bringing both of his arms back around her. "I didn't mean for us to get into an argument on your birthday. I'll like, make it up to you before you go home."</p><p>Velma chuckled as Shaggy shifted so he was over top of her and bent his head down to kiss her neck. "I'm listening…"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. In Love With The 80's (Pink Tux to the Prom)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm back and better than ever! Thanks for being so patient during my hiatus. Now let's get on with the show! Warnings: language, mentions of divorce, and some graphic Fraphne romance. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera. Thank you to Google Translate for the French help.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2: In Love With the 80's (Pink Tux to the Prom)</strong>
</p><p>"Hey, Fred."</p><p>It was the day after Velma's birthday, and the following day was the Hex Girls concert. Fred was at his locker, exchanging his English notes for his government textbook between classes. He looked up at the voice, and saw Maureen Fischer approaching him.</p><p>Fred watched her draw nearer, feeling wary. Maureen had had a crush on him back in ninth and tenth grade, and had been incredibly jealous when it became apparent that he liked Daphne. She had once spread a pretty heinous rumor about Fred and Daphne having sex at a party (which had obviously not been true), but as far as Fred was concerned, it was all water under the bridge. Maureen was dating Red Herring now, which Fred thought was a much better match – especially since Red had gone out with Daphne for a long time in ninth grade. Still, Fred always felt a little apprehensive whenever Maureen was nearby.</p><p>"Hey Maureen," he replied somewhat cautiously as she leaned against the locker beside his.</p><p>"Did you get all your college applications in?" she asked.</p><p>"Yep." Fred had only applied to one school – Coolsville University. His father, the mayor, was a major benefactor of the college, as well as an esteemed alum. Everyone in the gang had applied there too – they all wanted to go to college together. "How about you?" he asked, to be polite.</p><p>"Uh-huh," she said, nodding. "My first choice is UVA. I feel pretty good about my chances."</p><p>"Cool," Fred replied.</p><p>Maureen crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "Can you believe that prom is in like three months?"</p><p>Oh. Fuck.</p><p>Fred broke out into a cold sweat.</p><p>Maureen fixed him with a stare. "How's your project coming along?"</p><p>"Uh..." Fuck. <em>Fuck. </em>"It's going great," he lied. "I've uh...I've got it narrowed down to a few really good possibilities."</p><p>"I hope you do. This is our <em>prom</em>, Fred," Maureen told him seriously. "When I volunteered to be head of the prom committee, and I told them I wanted you to be part of the decisions, everyone told me I was nuts for letting you help. But you're the class representative, so I wanted you to be involved." She stared at him. "You're not gonna let down the whole senior class, are you?"</p><p>Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.</p><p>"Nope," Fred replied, noticing that his voice sounded a little high, and hoped to God that Maureen couldn't tell. "Welp, gotta go to class, see you in bio!" He raced down the hall, away from her.</p><p>"You have until a week from today!" she called after him.</p><p>Fred sat in a daze all through government. What was he going to do? His mind raced all class long, and didn't stop on his walk to lunch afterwards. He met up with the rest of the gang in the cafeteria – Daphne, Velma and Shaggy (and thus, Scooby) all had the same AP English class immediately preceding their lunch period. But Fred was still so distracted by his predicament that he barely noticed the others as they all sat down at their usual table.</p><p>"Freddie? You okay?" asked Daphne, touching his arm.</p><p>Fred groaned and dropped his head onto the cafeteria table, his forehead making a <em>thunk </em>as it connected. Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby glanced at each other worriedly.</p><p>"Like what's the matter?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>"I think I messed up," Fred said into the table.</p><p>"What did you do?" asked Velma.</p><p>"I totally dropped the ball on prom," Fred moaned.</p><p>"What do you mean?" asked Daphne. "I didn't think the SGA had anything to do with prom. Isn't that why we have a prom committee? Cuz the SGA is too busy planning – you know, graduation and senior awards night and ten year reunions and that kind of thing?"</p><p>"Yeah, that's all true," said Fred, finally lifting his head up. "But I promised to help with one thing. A big thing. And I totally forgot about it until this morning."</p><p>"What is it?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>Fred sighed and put his forehead back on the table. "I told Maureen Fischer that I would look into live bands for the entertainment at prom."</p><p>The gang all stared at him in disbelief.</p><p>"Ruh-roh," Scooby muttered.</p><p>"Like, oh no," Shaggy added.</p><p>"And you've put it off till now?" Velma asked.</p><p>"I didn't put it off," Fred replied, sitting up again. "I just...forgot. Until Maureen reminded me just before fourth period."</p><p>"Well, first of all," Velma said. "Why would you ever promise to help Maureen with anything?"</p><p>"I was trying to be nice!" Fred cried. "You know. Bury the hatchet. We're seniors. We should be over everything that happened in tenth grade. Right?"</p><p>"Did you volunteer to look, or did Maureen specifically ask you to do this?" asked Daphne.</p><p>"She asked me. Why?"</p><p>The gang looked at him blankly.</p><p>Realization dawned on Fred. "You think she did it on purpose," he mumbled. "Because she knew I'd mess it up."</p><p>"But we're gonna prove her wrong. You won't mess it up, babe," Daphne promised, squeezing his arm again.</p><p>"I mean...he kinda already has," Velma muttered to Scooby, who nodded in agreement. Prom was in May, and it was already February. How did Fred expect to find <em>live </em>entertainment in that short a time frame?</p><p>"We're gonna help you look," Daphne said.</p><p>"Like, we are?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>"Of course," Daphne replied resolutely. "That's what friends do. When do you have to find a band by?"</p><p>Fred looked at her sheepishly. "A week from today."</p><p>Everyone groaned.</p><p>Daphne remained impassive. "Okay. Hard, but not impossible. We'll get through this, Freddie. You'll see." She kissed his cheek. "We'll get the best prom entertainment possible."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>That evening, Daphne sat at the desk in her bedroom working on her trigonometry homework. Fred was coming over later so they could work on a project for AP French and talk about what to do about the prom situation. Daphne would have much preferred to go to Fred's house, but he often spent some time with his father on Friday nights. Tonight they were bowling. Daphne was glad that Fred and his dad got along so well. They had a much better relationship than the one she had with her own father. Or her mother, for that matter.</p><p>Her parents hadn't been getting along for more than a year now, and she knew that divorce was in the air for them soon. They'd sat down with Daphne and her sisters at Thanksgiving, when everyone had been home, and told them they were separating, and though Daphne had been expecting it, she'd still taken it hard. She'd cried with the gang over it countless times in the three months since her parents had made the announcement, but she was tired of being sad. She'd rather just not think about it at all.</p><p>Her phone buzzed, distracting her. She looked at the screen to see a text message from her friend, Holden Walsh. He had graduated last year, and was in New York now for his freshman year at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.</p><p>
  <strong>Holden: DAPH! I'm walking back to my dorm and you're never gonna guess what AMDA's doing for their musical this spring.</strong>
</p><p>The text was followed by the image of a flier for the musical <em>Next to Normal. </em>Daphne laughed out loud. The two of them had acted in that musical at Coolsville High together last fall, along with the other members of the gang.</p><p>Daphne typed back.</p><p>
  <strong>Daphne: OMG! That's crazy! If you're Gabe again, you'll have to let me know!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Holden: Haha sure. Hey, you busy? Wanna Skype?</strong>
</p><p>There was no contest in Daphne's mind. Skyping with her friend was much preferable to trigonometry.</p><p>
  <strong>Daphne: I'm signing in now!</strong>
</p><p>No sooner had she logged on to Skype than Holden's face appeared on the screen.</p><p>"Hey!" they greeted each other, grinning. Holden looked just the same as he had before he graduated – spiky blond hair, dazzling eyes, and a charming smile.</p><p>"You look great," Daphne told him sincerely.</p><p>"So you do," Holden replied. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "Nah. Freddie will be here in about an hour, but I was just doing trig homework, which can always wait."</p><p>Holden made a face. "Why are you doing homework on a Friday night in the middle of your senior year? You should be out partying!"</p><p>"I still care about my grades!" Daphne laughed. "Besides, like I said, Freddie's coming over soon."</p><p>Holden nodded sagely. "Glad you two are still going strong. How's he doing?"</p><p>Daphne chuckled and filled Holden in on the prom fiasco, which made him laugh.</p><p>"Man, classic Fred," he sighed. "Do you have any idea what to do about the band?"</p><p>"Not really," Daphne admitted. "Who'd you get for your prom?"</p><p>"Man, as if I went to prom," Holden replied with another laugh. "I was still dating Jack then, so I went to Coolsville U to see him that night." He thought for a minute. "I think what the prom committee did was talk to the employees at the Coolsville Concert Hall, and they had some options."</p><p>"Ooh, that's a good idea!" Daphne exclaimed. "We're going there tomorrow to see the Hex Girls actually, so maybe we'll ask around after the show."</p><p>"Wait, wait, wait." Holden held up a hand. "You're going to see the FUCKING HEX GIRLS tomorrow night?!"</p><p>"Yep!" Daphne replied with a grin. "We got Velma tickets for her birthday. She's stoked."</p><p>"DUDE I'm so jealous!" Holden moaned. "The Hex Girls fucking rule."</p><p>"I know, I can't believe I haven't been listening to them longer," Daphne told him. "Ever since Shaggy had the idea to go to the concert, I've been listening to their songs on repeat in preparation for tomorrow night."</p><p>"It was Shaggy's idea to get Velma the tickets, huh?" Holden asked.</p><p>"Yes. Why?" Daphne asked in return.</p><p>Holden just raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"No, Holden," Daphne said sternly. This was not the first time they'd had this conversation. "I told you. Velma would have said something to me if anything was going on between the two of them." A tiny bell rang in Daphne's head as she spoke, but she ignored it.</p><p>"If you say so..." Holden replied, not sounding convinced. "But I'm just saying...they got awfully close during the musicallast year."</p><p>"We <em>all</em> got close during the musicallast year," Daphne reminded him. "Like that day we had our full-cast bonding session and we found out about how Shaggy's baby sister died and how Fred's mom left him and how Tony's brother was an alcoholic?"</p><p>"Okay that's fair," Holden relented. "I have never worked with a cast that close before or since."</p><p>"Really? Not even at college?" asked Daphne.</p><p>"It's different," Holden told her. "But still awesome. You'd actually love it out here, Daphne. Did you apply to AMDA?"</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "No. I applied to NYU though. I should be hearing about a possible audition for them soon."</p><p>"Awesome! Where else?"</p><p>Daphne bit her lip, remembering. "Elon, Carnegie Mellon, and Coolsville U. We all applied to Coolsville, actually. It's our first choice."</p><p>"Where else are the rest of your friends applying?"</p><p>Daphne starting ticking off her fingers. "Shaggy applied to a few culinary schools – one in New York, one in Rhode Island, and one in Chicago. Velma applied to all of the Ivy Leagues, plus Stanford – they sent a recruiter to the science fair last winter and her winning project caught their eye, so she sent in an application."</p><p>"What about Fred?" asked Holden.</p><p>"Just Coolsville," Daphne replied. "But like I said, we all applied there."</p><p>"Well, I hope you get into NYU," Holden told her. "You seriously would love the city."</p><p>"Tell me about it," Daphne said, leaning forward to listen. "What are the best parts?"</p><p>Holden talked about all his favorite things about New York City for almost an hour and only stopped when Daphne's doorbell rang.</p><p>"Jeepers!" she shrieked. "That's Fred. I gotta go."</p><p>"Tell him I said hey," Holden said.</p><p>"I will. Miss you!"</p><p>"Miss you too. Have fun tonight! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"</p><p>Before Daphne could retort, Holden had signed off with a laugh.</p><p>She shook her head wryly before leaving her bedroom and taking the stairs two at a time. She flung open the front door to find Fred standing on her porch, shivering in the cold, the Mystery Machine parked in the street out front.</p><p>"Hey, babe," she greeted him, letting him in and kissing him on the cheek.</p><p>"Hey. Man, it's cold out there," Fred replied with another shiver.</p><p>Daphne giggled and took his hand. "Come on. Let's go to my room."</p><p>"Where are your parents?" asked Fred as she led him up the stairs.</p><p>"Mom is resting," Daphne replied. "And Dad..." she trailed off. "I don't know where Dad is."</p><p>Fred stopped her. "Are you okay?" he asked, blue eyes full of concern.</p><p>Daphne sighed, but smiled at Fred all the same. "I'm fine. Really." She kissed him again. "Do you have your French notes?"</p><p>"Yep," said Fred, gesturing to the bookbag he had slung over his shoulder. They continued up the stairs and made it to Daphne's room.</p><p>"By the way," she said. "I was Skyping with Holden before you came over. He says hi."</p><p>Fred's face lit up. It had taken awhile for him to come around to Holden last year, but now they were friends. "That's awesome! I miss that guy. How's he doing?"</p><p>"Pretty well," Daphne replied. "He loves New York. And he had a pretty good idea for what to do about prom."</p><p>Relief visibly washed over Fred. "He did? What was it?"</p><p>"Let's talk to the employees at the Coolsville Concert Hall tomorrow night," Daphne told him. "They can probably point us in the direction of some good bands who will play prom for us."</p><p>Fred nodded. "That is a good idea. I'm glad you talked to Holden tonight."</p><p>Daphne grinned. "How was bowling with your dad?"</p><p>"Pretty good. I bowled a 180," Fred said with a shrug. "But I was counting down the minutes till I could be here with you."</p><p>Daphne giggled. "Because you're so excited to work on this French project?"</p><p>"Not exactly," Fred murmured. They had arrived at her room now and closed the door behind them. No sooner had the door shut than Fred's arms were around Daphne, and his mouth was on hers. She closed her eyes and kissed him back fervently. Ever since senior year had started, they had begun to get more physically intimate every chance they got. Daphne wasn't sure why. It wasn't as if they weren't going to be together next year. Coolsville University was her first choice, because it was where Fred would be. Though there was something intriguing about New York...</p><p>Daphne found she couldn't focus on any other thoughts as long as Fred was kissing her like this. She let go of Fred's neck briefly in order to untie his ascot so she could leave a trial of kisses from his mouth to his neck. Fred's hands found the zipper on the back of her dress and undid it. The dress fell to the ground and she stepped out of it as she tossed her scarf away. When Fred moved his hands slowly down her torso, she gasped at the feel of his fingers on her bare skin. Swiftly, she moved her own hands down to the hem of his shirt and pulled it up so his bare chest was exposed. They'd reached her bed now and fell onto it, Daphne hovering over Fred and peppering kisses all along his chest as he reached behind her to unfasten her bra. She shrugged out of it and tossed it to the floor. Fred sat up to admire her exposed chest.</p><p>"You're so beautiful, Daphne," he murmured. He said this every time they fooled around, but it made Daphne's heart flutter nonetheless. He always said it like he meant it. Like he really <em>saw </em>her. His fingers grazed her neck and ear before twisting into her luscious red hair and pulling her close for a lingering, open-mouthed kiss.</p><p>She sighed as their tongues collided, and let her hands travel down his bare torso to fiddle with the button of his blue jeans. Fred helped her unfasten the button before reaching back up, this time for one of her perfect breasts.</p><p>Daphne broke away from the kiss with a sharp gasp when Fred's fingers made contact, and he moved his mouth down to her neck. She could feel him smiling as he gently sucked and bit his way towards her collarbone.</p><p>They had switched now so that Daphne was the one laying on the bed as Fred hovered over her. The hand that had been caressing her breast had begun to move steadily downwards until he was right on the edge of her pink tights. His mouth bypassed her collarbone and landed in the valley between her breasts. Without meaning to, Daphne let out a quiet moan. She let her hand wander into his pants and touched him.</p><p>He detached from her with a hiss. "Fuck, Daph," he breathed, pleasure coursing through him.</p><p>"I love you, Freddie," she whispered back. She felt as if her whole body was on fire with love.</p><p>
  <em>Creak.</em>
</p><p>"WHOA WHAT THE HELL?!"</p><p>Startled, Daphne and Fred sat up to find that Daphne's older sister Delilah had opened the door and was staring aghast at them from the open doorway. Hurriedly, Daphne pulled her bedsheets around her half-naked form and Fred buttoned his pants and dove off the bed to grab his shirt.</p><p>"Delilah!" Daphne cried. "Jesus. Knock much?"</p><p>"I didn't think I needed to!" Delilah at least had the good grace to shut the door and talk to Daphne from the other side.</p><p>"What are you even doing here?" Daphne called as Fred tossed her dress and bra back up to her. Delilah had moved out ages ago for law school. She was studying to become a JAG in the Marine Corps.</p><p>"I borrowed one of Mom's serving dishes, and I came to bring it back. And I thought I'd come see you. Though…I didn't expect to see <em>this </em>much of you."</p><p>Daphne grimaced as she finished dressing. "Well, you can come back in now," she grumbled.</p><p>Delilah slowly opened the door, her face still slightly flushed with embarrassment – though it couldn't possibly compare with how humiliated Daphne and Fred felt.</p><p>"Fred," Delilah nodded to him. "Nice to see you."</p><p>Fred nodded back without meeting her eyes. "Hello, Delilah."</p><p>Delilah was the closest of Daphne's sisters in age to her, and she was also the first member of the family who had given Fred her seal of approval. But it didn't make this any less awkward.</p><p>"We were uh…just about to start on some French homework," Daphne said.</p><p>Delilah nodded. "Right." Daphne heard the doubt in her voice. "I just came by to say that Mom told me you were going to see the Hex Girls tomorrow. Is that true?"</p><p>"Yep," Daphne replied. "We got Velma tickets for her birthday."</p><p>"Well, make sure you get there early," Delilah told her. "One of my old friends from college is opening with her band."</p><p>"That's neat," Fred said, clearly trying to get past the awkwardness. "Did she graduate with you?"</p><p>"Nah, she was a few year younger than me. She's a senior now at Coolsville University. Her name is Priya Dandekar. She plays keyboard in her band."</p><p>"That's great," said Daphne. "Well, Fred and I should get started on this homework."</p><p>"Yeah," said Delilah wryly. "Homework."</p><p>Daphne groaned. "Please don't tell Mom."</p><p>Delilah rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I remember how it felt to be in the throes of young love. Your secret is safe with me. But are you using protection?"</p><p>Mortified, Daphne threw a pillow at her sister. "Oh my God, get out!"</p><p>"Okay, okay!" Delilah grinned and waved over her shoulder before shutting the door behind her. Once she was gone, Daphne groaned and flopped backwards into her pillows, hands over her face.</p><p>"You okay?" asked Fred.</p><p>Daphne nodded. "Yeah. Just humiliated." She sat back up and grimaced at Fred. "Sorry about her."</p><p>Fred shrugged. "It's not your fault she walked in on us."</p><p>In the silence that followed, Daphne reflected on what had just happened. She and Fred really were getting more and more amorous every day. Was it time for them to have a talk about going all the way?</p><p>"I love you too," Fred said.</p><p>"Huh?" asked Daphne, pulled from her thoughts.</p><p>"Before we got uh…interrupted," Fred continued. "You told me you loved me. And I don't ever want to leave you hanging when you say that. So…I love you too."</p><p>Daphne smiled and snuggled up against him. She couldn't believe how wonderful he was. Or that she once upon a time had cursed the very ground he walked on. Thinking back to the beginning of sophomore year, how he'd relentlessly pursued her and she kept rejecting him, seemed impossible to her.</p><p>"We really should start on that French project," she said with a sigh. Reluctantly, they got up from her bed to move over to her desk.</p><p>"Maybe afterwards we can ah…pick up where we left off?" Fred shot her a cheeky grin.</p><p>Daphne giggled and kissed him. "Je t'aime," she murmured – French for <em>I love you.</em></p><p>Fred kissed her back. "Je t'aime aussi," he replied.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Earth, Wind, Fire and Air</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sponge: Thanks for reading! Enjoy chapter 3! Warning: language. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera. The band's name comes from the tagline for Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3: Earth, Wind, Fire and Air</strong>
</p><p>The Coolsville Concert Hall was absolutely packed. It seemed as though the entire town had come out to see the Hex Girls – and even some people from the surrounding towns.</p><p>"Wow, who knew we could fit the entire state of Ohio in this building?" Velma said dryly as she and her friends made their way through the crowded lobby into the theater. They'd had their tickets checked at the door and were now heading for their seats.</p><p>Fred chuckled as he looked around. "Yeah, there sure are a bunch of people here. Even...hey!" Abruptly, he stopped walking, causing Shaggy to bump into him. He and Scooby had loaded up on snacks at the concession stand and a bit of soda sloshed out of his cup and down to the floor.</p><p>"Dude like what gives?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>"Reah," Scooby added, looking around to see what Fred was staring at.</p><p>"It's Tony Moretti and..." There was the tiniest of beats before Fred continued, "Marcie Fleach!" Fred waved across the throngs of people, silently thanking his brain for catching it before he accidentally used Marcie's old nickname – Hot Dog Water. Ever since Marcie and Velma had become better friends, Fred had worked actively to unlearn the nickname, which he had picked up back when he'd been on the football team. He'd slipped up a few times, but he was getting better – and he'd never used it in front of Marcie.</p><p>"Jonesey!" Tony exclaimed when he and Marcie had made their way to the gang. He slapped Fred five and grinned broadly at the others in turn. "Dinks! Blake! Rogers! Scooby! Good to see ya!"</p><p>"Hi everyone," Marcie greeted them, waving at Velma with a grin.</p><p>Velma grinned back. "Hi Marce. Good to see you." To Tony she said, "I didn't know you were a fan of the Hex Girls."</p><p>Tony grinned sheepishly. "Truth be told, I'm just here to show support for my brother. His band is the opening act so I got two comp tickets. I've never heard of the Hex Girls before, but I found out that Fleachy was a fan, so I asked her to come with me."</p><p>Velma stared at Tony aghast. "How have you never heard of the Hex – never mind," she sighed, holding up a hand as though done with the conversation. She and Marcie shared a look.</p><p>"That's what I said," Marcie told her.</p><p>Shaggy couldn't help but gloat a little in his mind. Maybe Tony and Velma had dated once before, but Shaggy was the one who knew the Hex Girls were Velma's favorite band – even though he, too, had never heard of them before he met her.</p><p>"Hold on," Daphne said to Tony. "Did you say your brother's band was the opening act?"</p><p>Tony nodded, a full smile back on his face. "Yeah! He's pumped – he can't believe they're opening for a group here."</p><p>"My older sister told me that one of her friends is in that band," Daphne said. "Priya Dandekar?"</p><p>"Yeah!" Tony nodded enthusiastically. "She's their keyboardist. My brother Joey plays guitar. And his girlfriend Julie is the lead singer. If you want, you can come meet them backstage after the show with me and Fleachy here. They'll let ya through as long as you're with me."</p><p>"It would be neat to go backstage," Fred said.</p><p>"Jinkies, are you sure?" Velma asked. "Thanks, Tony. That would be amazing!"</p><p>"Meet us in the lobby after the show," Tony told them. "See ya!" With a wave and his signature lopsided smile, he headed for his seat, Marcie waving over her shoulder as she followed him.</p><p>"Tony and Marcie, huh?" Daphne murmured under her breath. Shaggy was standing nearby though, and heard her.</p><p>"Yeah," he murmured back, jerking his head towards them. "Are they like here together? Like...<em>together </em>together?"</p><p>To Shaggy's surprise, Velma's voice was the one that answered.</p><p>"No way," she said, shaking her head emphatically. "Marcie's a lesbian."</p><p>Fred's eyebrows shot up. "Isn't that what people said about you at one point?"</p><p>Shaggy shifted his weight. He didn't necessarily enjoy being reminded of the rumor from ninth grade that Velma liked girls, as the rumor had been the reason she'd started dating Tony. But based on everything they got up to, Shaggy was pretty confident in Velma's interest in guys.</p><p>"No, but Marcie is <em>actually </em>a lesbian," Velma insisted. "She's out and proud. Has been since middle school."</p><p>"Oh," Fred replied. Then, "Good for her."</p><p>"Come on," Daphne said, tugging Fred's arm. "Our seats are in this row."</p><p>They filed out of the aisle into their seats. Fred went in first, with Daphne next to him. Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby followed, in that order. The gang had a pretty good view of the stage from their seats, and they had a clear shot of the drum kit and the electric keyboard for the first band. Velma noticed the name of the band printed on the face of the bass drum: "Heavy Meddle." She nudged Shaggy with her elbow and pointed it out to him, grinning. He chuckled in response, appreciating the play on words.</p><p>At that moment, five college-aged students walked onstage from the wings, and the audience erupted into cheers. The band members waved to the crowd as they made their way towards their instruments. Velma recognized Joey Moretti immediately. Not only had she met him briefly before, but he looked nearly identical to his brother. She also vaguely recognized the young brunette woman who followed him and placed herself in front of the microphone, though it took her a minute to place her. After staring at her for several moments, Velma realized that it was Joey's girlfriend, Julie, whom they'd also met briefly last year.</p><p>The young Indian woman with curly black hair at the keyboard had to be Daphne's sister's friend, Priya. The two other people on the stage were guys – a young Black man with a shaved head sat at the drums, while a tall guy with glasses and floppy brown hair entered holding a bass guitar.</p><p>Without any preamble or introduction, the band immediately launched into their first song, which turned out to be a cover. Shaggy recognized the tune and turned to Scooby.</p><p>"Like, is this 'Walking on Sunshine?'" he asked.</p><p>Scooby cocked his head. "Rye rhink so?"</p><p>At the microphone, Julie began to sing. <em>"I used to think maybe you loved me, now baby I'm sure.</em></p><p>
  <em>And I just can't wait til the day when you knock on my door."</em>
</p><p>"It <em>is </em>'Walking on Sunshine!'" Shaggy exclaimed. "I love this song!"</p><p>"So do I!" said Velma. They glanced at each other smiling, as Julie continued to sing.</p><p>
  <em>"Now every time I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Cause I just can't wait 'til you write me you're coming around."</em>
</p><p>Julie gestured to the crowd, and the whole audience joined in on the chorus.</p><p>
  <em>"I'm walking on sunshine! Whooaa!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm walking on sunshine! Whooaa!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm walking on sunshine! Whooaa!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And don't it feel good!"</em>
</p><p>The lead singer had a great voice, and the rest of the band members were just as talented. Midway through their set they introduced themselves, but the names went in one ear and out the other for Shaggy. The band played several more covers from all different genres and decades – and they were all excellent.</p><p>Their final song was a pretty rousing rendition of The Clash's "Should I Stay Or Should I Go," and once the applause from the audience had died down, the lead singer looked out to the crowd, eyes sparkling.</p><p>"Thank you, Coolsville!" she shouted into the mic. "We are Heavy Meddle. Did you have a good time with us tonight?"</p><p>The audience applauded and whistled.</p><p>Julie grinned charmingly out at the crowd. "Now are you ready for the girls you came here to see?!"</p><p>Uproarious cheers erupted from the audience.</p><p>"Then give it up…for The Hex Girls!"</p><p>As the members of Heavy Meddle exited the stage, new voice sounded over the speakers. "Hit it, sisters!"</p><p>A platform began to lower itself from above the stage, and a resounding rock and roll riff began to sound through the amplifiers. From their seats, the gang could very clearly see The Hex Girls on the platform – Dusk on the drums, Luna on the keyboard, and Thorn on lead guitar.</p><p>The crowd went absolutely nuts.</p><p>The platform got closer to the stage, and Thorn began to sing.</p><p>
  <em>"I'm gonna cast a spell on you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You're gonna do what I want you to</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mix it up here in my little bowl</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Say a few words and you lose control</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you!"</em>
</p><p>Luna and Dusk echoed.</p><p>
  <em>"I'm gonna put a spell on you!"</em>
</p><p>This time when Thorn sang again, she beckoned for the entire audience to join in. They did, obligingly.</p><p>
  <em>"I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Put a spell on you!"</em>
</p><p>Shaggy glanced at Velma out of the corner of his eye. She was beaming – her entire face was alight with euphoria as she jumped up and down, singing along with the Hex Girls at the top of her lungs. He felt his mouth curl upwards into a huge smile. She was so happy. And he had done that for her.</p><p><em>"You'll feel the fog as I cloud your mind," </em>sang Thorn.</p><p>
  <em>You'll get dizzy when I make the sign</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You'll wake up in the dead of night</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Missing me when I'm out of sight!"</em>
</p><p>Shaggy was still looking at Velma and he caught her eye. She smiled radiantly at him and he felt his heart expand. He loved the fact that she felt this way, because of something he'd done.</p><p><em>"I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you," </em>the Hex Girls sang.</p><p>
  <em>"I'm gonna put a spell on you,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh yeah!"</em>
</p><p>It was a little bit as though <em>Shaggy</em> was under a spell – Velma's spell. Her smile and the sparkle in her eyes were making him feel some kind of way. Unable to help himself, Shaggy reached for Velma's hand. He let himself hold it briefly, but he squeezed it once and dropped it before Scooby could notice.</p><p>The Hex Girls kept singing.</p><p>
  <em>"With this little cobweb potion</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You'll fall into dark devotion</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If you ever lose affection</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can change your whole direction</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm gonna put a spell on you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We're gonna put a spell on all of you!"</em>
</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>The concert was incredible. Velma couldn't stop talking about it as they headed out into the lobby to meet Marcie and Tony. Daphne had linked her arm through Velma's and chuckled at her friend as she talked a mile a minute. Shaggy and Fred grinned at each other out of the corner of their eyes. Velma was known to nerd-out on occasion, but this was a whole new level. Even Scooby had to laugh – he'd never seen Velma so animated, even when they solved a mystery or she won the science fair.</p><p>Speaking of the science fair, Scooby was not surprised to find Marcie also talking Tony's ear off when they finally reached them in the lobby.</p><p>"Hey guys!" Tony greeted them when he noticed them approaching. "Great show, huh?"</p><p>"Amazing!" Velma exclaimed.</p><p>"Indubitably," Marcie agreed.</p><p>"You ready to come backstage?" Tony asked.</p><p>Everyone nodded enthusiastically.</p><p>"Thanks again for letting us come backstage with you," Daphne said.</p><p>"No sweat!" Tony grinned.</p><p>They headed down a hallway until they came to a door with a guard. Tony gave his name and introduced the others as his guests, and the guard let them in.</p><p>They found themselves in a pretty lavish green room. The members of Heavy Meddle were lounging on a few of the couches and chairs, but the lead guitarist shot to his feet when he saw that Tony had entered the room.</p><p>"YO!" Joey Moretti's excitement at seeing his brother permeated his tone. He grabbed Tony's hand with one strong arm, wrapping the other around Tony's back. "You made it!"</p><p>"'Course I made it!" Tony grinned back, just as exuberantly. "It was a great show!"</p><p>"Really phenomenal," Marcie added. "I was just as impressed with you as I was with the Hex Girls."</p><p>Joey shrugged humbly. "It was an honor just to play alongside them."</p><p>"Joe," said Tony, bringing Marcie up closer. "This is Marcie Fleach. She's a friend of mine from school, president of the science club, and biggest fan of the Hex Girls I know."</p><p>"Ahem," Velma coughed, raising an eyebrow. Tony, Marcie, and the gang chuckled. Scooby noticed the bassist glance sideways at Velma.</p><p>"Second only to Dinks, of course." Tony shrugged a shoulder to indicate Velma to step forward.</p><p>"I remember you," said the lead singer, a pretty young brunette with sparkling brown eyes. "You were in that play we saw at the high school last year, right? All of you?" She gestured towards the rest of the gang.</p><p>"That's right," Fred said, stepping forward. "I'm Fred Jones. That's Velma Dinkley, Shaggy Rogers, and Scooby Doo." He indicated each in turn before gently pulling Daphne towards him. "And this is my girlfriend, Daphne Blake."</p><p>Daphne bit her lip and preened a little bit. She still got butterflies when Fred introduced her as his "girlfriend," even after all this time.</p><p>"Nice to meet you all again!" the brunette said with a dazzling smile. "I'm Julie St. James. Joey is my boyfriend. These are the other members of our band. Our drummer, Felix Barnwell," (the young Black man nodded his head in greeting), "our bassist, Leon Berger," ("Mmm! Rurgers!" said Scooby), "and our keyboardist, Priya Dandekar."</p><p>"I think you might know my sister," Daphne said to Priya. "Delilah Blake? She said you were at Coolsville U together."</p><p>Priya's face broke out into an even wider smile. "I remember Delilah! How is she? I hope she's doing well?"</p><p>Daphne and Priya talked about her sister while Tony and Marcie approached Felix and Joey. Shaggy couldn't help noticing that the bassist, Leon, was still looking towards him, Velma, and Scooby. He was the only member of the band that wasn't smiling. He looked…calculating. As though he were trying to figure out a puzzle. Did he suspect that Velma and Shaggy were boyfriend and girlfriend, too? <em>Man, you're being like, paranoid, </em>Shaggy scolded himself. <em>There's no way he would like, have any idea. </em>But all the same, he took a slight step away from Velma.</p><p>"So how well do you know the Hex Girls?" Fred asked the lead singer.</p><p>Julie shrugged. "I mean, not very. We only met them for the first time during soundcheck. They're really nice, though. They told us that in each stop on their tour, they're getting a different local band to open for them."</p><p>"That <em>is </em>nice," Velma said. "What made them decide to do that?"</p><p>The bassist was the one who responded.</p><p>"They think it's important to give local bands visibility," he said, shaking his brown bangs out of his eyes. "They understand how hard it can be for small town local bands to get their start, since they started off as a local band from a small town."</p><p>"Oakhaven," Velma and Marcie said in unison.</p><p>Leon smirked. "You really are big Hex Girl fans."</p><p>"We're really grateful to them," Priya said. "We've played a few shows at the university, but this is the biggest audience we've ever played for. A few agents have even approached us asking to represent us."</p><p>"That's awesome!" Daphne exclaimed, as the rest of the group echoed her congratulations. Tony slapped his older brother gleefully on the back.</p><p>Suddenly, Fred gasped. "I just had an idea," he said. "What if I asked them to play our prom?!" He grinned around at the group, but everyone stared back at him blankly.</p><p>"Asked who?" Daphne asked.</p><p>"The Hex Girls!" Fred cried.</p><p>"Fred," said Velma with a sigh. "They're an internationally acclaimed rock group. I don't think they would play a high school prom on our budget. Besides, they'll still be on tour in May."</p><p>"When in May is your prom?" asked Leon.</p><p>"The twenty-ninth," Fred replied. "It's a week before our graduation."</p><p>"What's your budget?" Leon asked.</p><p>Fred told him.</p><p>Leon glanced at Julie and Joey. "What do you say? We could do it."</p><p>Julie looked at him with an expression that Fred couldn't quite decipher.</p><p>"Leon, are you sure?" Julie said quietly.</p><p>Leon rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses. "They need a band. We're a band. I'm just trying to be helpful."</p><p>"I like the idea," Priya spoke up. She appeared to be trying to head off an argument. Fred saw her shoot a cursory glance at Felix, who nodded immediately.</p><p>"I'm down," he said. "It would help us get our name out there, among the younger crowd."</p><p>Joey looked to Tony. "Would you mind if your older brother played your senior prom?"</p><p>"You kiddin?" Tony grinned broadly. "That'd be great!"</p><p>Julie was the only one in the group who still seemed hesitant. "Well...we need to have a conversation as a band first. Can we let you know by tomorrow?"</p><p>"Sure," Fred told her.</p><p>At long last, Julie smiled again.</p><p>"All right," she said. "I'm in."</p><p>Fred breathed an audible sigh of relief.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Some Enchanted Evening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. Enjoy chapter 4! Warning: language, and frank discussions about sex. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4: Some Enchanted Evening</strong>
</p><p>True to her word, Julie got back to Fred the following day and confirmed their availability for the prom. Fred was so relieved that he actually sought out Maureen Fischer on Monday to tell her the good news. She had seemed slightly taken aback that he'd succeeded in procuring a band, and approached the gang at lunch that afternoon to ask follow-up questions.</p><p>"So tell me more about this band," she asked in the cafeteria, flanked as usual by her two loyal cronies, Rachael Amora and Phoebe Albion.</p><p>"They're a local group," Fred told her. He had one arm around Daphne, who was ignoring Maureen by paying very close attention to her lunch. Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby were examining their lunch trays carefully as well. They knew it was best not to make direct eye-contact with Maureen or her friends. Fred, however, had no trouble talking to her. "The lead guitarist is actually Tony Moretti's older brother. They're all students at Coolsville U."</p><p>"College boys?" Phoebe perked up instantly and she shared a keen look with Rachael.</p><p>"And they opened for the Hex Girls at the Coolsville Concert Hall?" Maureen was still all business.</p><p>"Yep," Fred replied. "They were really good. They play covers."</p><p>"Do they take requests?"</p><p>"Probably," Fred said with a shrug. "We'll ask."</p><p>Fred stayed in contact with the band all week, passing along all of Maureen's questions and concerns. It wasn't unusual for Fred to sneak glances at his phone throughout the school day – even though he knew that if he was caught it with, it would be confiscated. It also became standard for Tony Moretti to find the gang in the middle of the day to pass along a message from Joey. Somehow the whole gang had become liaisons for the band, and the constant couriering was getting to be a bit much. Daphne was glad when Friday rolled around. After the last bell, she met up with Velma outside the band room. They often walked to their lockers together at the end of the day to wait for the boys, since both Daphne and Velma's final classes of the day were off the fine arts hallway – Daphne took drama, and Velma took band.</p><p>"Hey," Velma said as Daphne approached. "Fred got a text from Julie St. James halfway through AP Bio. The band thinks it'll make more sense to have weekly meetings, so Fred and Julie don't have to play phone tag all the time. They want to meet with us on Monday night. Does that work for you? Fred said he'd check with Shag and Scoob."</p><p>"I think so," Daphne said. "Where should we meet?"</p><p>"Tony offered his place," Velma told her. "He's in bio with us too."</p><p>"Where does he live?" They had just stopped by Daphne's locker to grab books she'd need for weekend homework, and were now on their way to Velma's locker.</p><p>"He lives in the Willow Springs development, kind of near me," Velma replied. "I went to his house a few times when we were dating. I'll give you guys directions on Monday."</p><p>"Blake!"</p><p>Both Daphne and Velma turned around. Mr. Atwood, the drama teacher, was hurrying towards them.</p><p>"Hi Mr. Atwood," Velma said politely. They'd gotten to know each other the previous year, when the gang had been in <em>Next to Normal</em>.</p><p>"Nice to see you, Dinkley," Mr. Atwood replied with a grin. He turned back to Daphne and his grin widened. "I hoped I would catch you before you left. I would have told you in class, but I just got confirmation. You're all set for spring break."</p><p>Daphne's brow creased for a moment, then her eyebrows shot up with understanding. "Jeepers. Seriously?"</p><p>"Seriously," Mr. Atwood replied. "Congratulations. Let me know if you want my help with anything."</p><p>"Of course, I'd love your advice" Daphne replied. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you! This is amazing!"</p><p>"You deserve it," Mr. Atwood said. "Talk to me on Monday and we can go over your plan. You'll do great, I know."</p><p>With another wave, he hurried away in the direction of the auditorium. Daphne's face was still alight with glee, but her smile drooped slightly at the confused look on Velma's face.</p><p>"What was that about?" asked Velma.</p><p>"What? Nothing." Daphne feigned ignorance and avoided Velma's gaze.</p><p>Velma shot Daphne an exasperated glare. "Daph. Come on. What's happening during spring break?"</p><p>Daphne bit her lip. "Can you keep a secret?"</p><p><em>Can I keep a secret? </em>Velma thought ruefully. She'd been keeping her relationship with Shaggy secret for more than a year.</p><p>"Yes," was all she said.</p><p>Daphne looked back at Velma. "I got an audition at NYU."</p><p>Velma's eyes widened behind her glasses. "What?"</p><p>"Mr. Atwood helped me," Daphne told her. "He knows some people on the admissions board – I guess they were all classmates at Elon back in the day."</p><p>Velma blinked. "Jinkies. I...I didn't realize how seriously you were considering New York. Does this mean you're not going to Coolsville U?"</p><p>"No of course I'm going to Coolsville U," Daphne replied hurriedly. "It's my first choice. I don't want to split the gang up. I just...I Skyped with Holden last week, the night before we saw the Hex Girls. He told me how much he loves New York and he thought I had a good chance, and Mr. Atwood thinks I have a good chance, too. It doesn't mean I'm in for sure – I still have to get accepted to the academic program, and even if I am, I could completely botch the audition. I just…I want to see if I have what it takes."</p><p>Velma felt flabbergasted and said nothing. She simply stared at Daphne in astonishment.</p><p>Daphne gazed back. "Don't tell Fred."</p><p>Velma's eyebrows shot up. "Are you kidding?"</p><p>"Velma, please," Daphne begged quietly. "Listen, Coolsville U is still my first choice but if Fred knew about this audition...he might think I was considering it more than I'd let on. He'd feel betrayed. I couldn't do that to him."</p><p>Velma shook her head in disbelief. "You really think you can keep a secret like that from him?"</p><p>"It won't be a secret forever," Daphne insisted. "I'll tell him after the audition, I promise. I just...please Velma, I need you to keep this secret for me."</p><p>They had arrived at Velma's locker now, but Velma turned to look Daphne full in the face before turning the lock. Daphne's expression was imploring. Velma sighed.</p><p>"Okay fine," she grumbled. "I won't say anything to Fred."</p><p>"Or Shaggy or Scooby," Daphne stipulated.</p><p>Velma sighed again. "I won't say anything to them either," she promised. She gave her friend a rueful look as she twisted the combination lock. When the door opened, both girls noticed the large red envelope sitting on top of Velma's AP Calc textbook.</p><p>Daphne saw an opportunity to change the subject, so she squealed and made a grab for the envelope.</p><p>"Hey!" Velma exclaimed. "That's my card!"</p><p>Daphne blushed apologetically. "I'm sorry. I just think it's so exciting that you get secret admirer notes! It's so romantic and mysterious!" She handed the card over to Velma.</p><p>"I guess," Velma replied with a shrug, sliding her finger under the envelope flap to retrieve the card inside. The front was decorated with giant red hearts, with "Happy Valentine's Day" printed near the top in a fancy script. For Daphne's benefit, Velma opened the card and read the inscription aloud in an undertone.</p><p>"Dear Velma, I hope you don't mind this being a little early. Valentine's Day is on Sunday and since we don't have school, I wanted to make sure you got this. I think you're a really wonderful person. Happy Valentine's Day! From, Your Secret Admirer."</p><p>"That's so sweet!" Daphne sighed.</p><p>Velma shrugged again and slipped the card into her messenger bag, along with her books. She did appreciate the secret admirer notes, especially since her relationship with Shaggy wasn't public. The two of them did have Valentine's Day plans, but she knew they'd be spending it in Shaggy's basement. Velma liked making out and fooling around as much as the next girl, but it would be nice to go out on an actual date one of these days.</p><p>"Do you and Freddie have plans for Valentine's Day?" Velma asked, even though she already knew the answer.</p><p>Daphne nodded enthusiastically. "He's taking me to Moretti's for dinner."</p><p>Velma grinned. Moretti's, which was owned by Tony's family, was the nicest restaurant in town. Daphne and Fred had gone there on their first official date, and it was now a "special occasions" spot for the two of them.</p><p>"That'll be fun," Velma said. "What time?"</p><p>"I think our reservation's at seven," Daphne replied.</p><p>"Great," Velma said as she shut her locker door. "You want to come over on Sunday afternoon?"</p><p>"Yeah!" Daphne exclaimed happily. "We can give each other spa treatments! Face masks, manicures...the whole shebang! So I can be ready for my date with Fred later."</p><p>Velma laughed. "I was actually going to suggest studying. We have that AP Gov test next week you know."</p><p>Daphne fluttered her hand in the air carelessly. "Fine, we can do that too." She linked her arm through Velma's. "But beauty treatments first!"</p><p>Velma laughed again as they headed for the front of the school, where the boys stood waiting for them.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Daphne spent all of Sunday at Velma's house. They spent the better part of the afternoon on beauty regimens, per Daphne's request – an activity which didn't greatly interest Velma, but she put up with for Daphne's sake. Once their fingernails had dried, they had begun the odious task of studying for their AP Government exam, which took much longer and was infinitely less fun. Half an hour before Fred was due to pick up Daphne, they took a much-needed break from studying to discuss the prom.</p><p>"I'm relieved we found Heavy Meddle," Daphne admitted. She was swiveling on Velma's desk chair with her textbook open while Velma sat on her bed, her notes spread around her. "I know that it was really stressing Fred out."</p><p>"I can't believe he didn't realize that Maureen was setting out to humiliate him," Velma said. "If you ask me, she never got over him after tenth grade."</p><p>Daphne tutted unconcernedly. "I'm not worried about Maureen. I know that Fred would never want anything to do with her. Especially after she spread that awful rumor about us." Daphne cringed. She loved Fred, but it still made her skin crawl when she thought about how almost the entire school had believed the rumor that they'd had sex at a party.</p><p>"I still remember when we found you in that room," Velma said. She cocked her head thoughtfully. "You know...now that I think about it that was the first time of many. Do you and Fred just like making out in public places?"</p><p>Daphne laughed out loud. "Not on purpose! We just get carried away sometimes. And we have horrible luck..." She felt her face tinge pink as she remembered the interruption they'd had from her sister the night before the Hex Girls concert.</p><p>Velma noticed the blush. "What?"</p><p>Daphne sighed and explained.</p><p>Velma laughed out loud. "Oh my God. Delilah seriously caught you and Fred going at it in your own room? She doesn't even live there! Jinkies, you do have horrible luck."</p><p>Daphne groaned. "Yes. It was the most humiliated I've ever been."</p><p>"You've gotta start locking doors, Daph," Velma said, shaking her head wryly.</p><p>"I know," Daphne groaned again, swiveling the chair away. "It's my own fault. But at least it was my sister and not my mom."</p><p>Velma grimaced. "I don't think I'd want anyone walking in on me in a situation like that, regardless of who they were." She and Shaggy had had a few close calls of their own, including the incident that had led to Tony Moretti catching them, but obviously she couldn't tell that to Daphne, as much as she wished she could.</p><p>"She asked me if we were using protection," Daphne said, burying her head in her hands.</p><p>Velma furrowed her brow. "I thought you and Fred weren't having sex."</p><p>"We're not!" Daphne cried. She paused. "But…I think I might want to." She bit her lip and glanced over at her friend.</p><p>Velma's eyebrows shot up. This wasn't really a bombshell, but there was a certain shock factor to this statement. "Whoa, Daph. Jinkies. For real?"</p><p>Daphne nodded. "I'm ready. And I think he is too." She tilted her head. "I love him so much, Velma. I've never wanted anything like this before."</p><p>Velma sat back on her bed. "It's a big thing to want, Daph," she said. "Have you talked to him about it?"</p><p>"How do you talk to someone about something like that?" Daphne asked, swiveling in the chair again.</p><p>Velma chuckled. "I don't know, Daph. Open your mouth and use your words?"</p><p>"Har har," Daphne retorted. "Seriously. What do I say to him?"</p><p>Velma scoffed. "Hello. Like I have any experience in this department." Actually, Velma and Shaggy had come pretty close themselves plenty of times, but nothing had actually happened. Besides, she couldn't tell Daphne about it even if something <em>had </em>happened. Velma twisted her mouth, suddenly feeling annoyed that she had to keep all these secrets from her best friend. Was Shaggy <em>ever</em> going to tell Scooby about them? She would love to talk to Daphne about these things.</p><p>As Daphne swirled back around in the chair, she caught sight of a drawing on the bulletin board above Velma's desk. "I've always liked that picture," she said, changing the subject. "Shaggy drew that on his first day at Coolsville High, right?"</p><p>Velma looked up, though she didn't need to. She knew what Daphne was referring to – a colored pencil sketch that Shaggy had done on the day that he met the gang. The sketch was of Velma, enraptured in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's <em>Crime and Punishment.</em></p><p>She nodded. "Yep. He told me later that he didn't usually give away his art, but he wanted to thank me for everything I'd done to help him that day."</p><p>Daphne snorted. "We all helped him that day – he was brand new. Why didn't he make sketches of me or Freddie?" Daphne had said it as a joke, but Velma said nothing in response.</p><p>Daphne swiveled back around to study her friend, contemplating the conversation she'd had with Holden on Skype. Truthfully, she <em>did</em> suspect something was happening between Shaggy and Velma. She'd been suspecting it for a couple of months now, ever since Shaggy had suggested the Hex Girls concert for Velma's birthday. But though she'd asked Velma multiple times if there was anything going on, she vehemently denied it, and frankly, Daphne was tired of asking.</p><p>Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open and Velma's younger sister Madelyn stood in the threshold.</p><p>"Out," Velma said, pointing back into the hallway where Madelyn had come from.</p><p>Madelyn huffed and put her hands on her hips. "I'm just here to tell you," she said haughtily. "That the blond one is here."</p><p>Velma rolled her eyes. Madelyn was going through an annoying phase where she didn't refer to any of Velma's friends by their proper names. She knew Fred's, Daphne's, and Shaggy's names perfectly well, but still insisted on calling them "the blond one," "the ginger one," and "the scruffy one," respectively.</p><p>"Thanks, O Irritating One," Velma said with some bite to her tone. "Daphne will be right down. Now leave."</p><p>With another indignant scoff, Madelyn shut the door.</p><p>Daphne chuckled to herself. "What does she call you?" she wanted to know.</p><p>"The geeky one," Velma grumbled. "Which is stupid…it's not like she's not geeky too. We all are – it's a Dinkley family trait."</p><p>Daphne shrugged as she started to pack up her textbook and notes. "At least she's accurate."</p><p>"Yeah," Velma admitted with a sigh. She changed the subject. "So are you excited?"</p><p>"About dinner? Of course, I love Italian food. Moretti's has the best vegetarian lasagna," Daphne replied.</p><p>"I didn't mean about dinner. I mean...about tonight. Are you gonna...?" Velma didn't finish her question.</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "No. Not tonight. I definitely want to talk about it before we do anything. But maybe I'll bring it up during dinner, so he knows I'm leaning that way."</p><p>"You don't think he'll hear you say you want to have sex and immediately assume you want it tonight?"</p><p>Daphne chuckled. "I think we'll be okay." She stood up to leave. "What about you? Any big Valentine plans?"</p><p>Velma gave a half-laugh. "Yeah right." Actually, Velma <em>did</em> have plans with Shaggy that night, but again, she couldn't tell Daphne. She felt another pang of annoyance.</p><p>They had started down the stairs now and saw Fred standing in the front door holding a bouquet of purple tulips.</p><p>Daphne gasped delightedly when she saw them. "Freddie!"</p><p>"Happy Valentine's Day, babe," Fred said, pulling her in for a lingering kiss.</p><p>"Get a room," Velma quipped with a smile.</p><p>Fred and Daphne broke apart and grinned at her apologetically.</p><p>"That reminds me," Fred said, pulling out a small bouquet of geraniums. "This is for you, Velm."</p><p>"Fred, you didn't need to get me flowers," Velma said, embarrassed but pleased.</p><p>Daphne smiled proudly and kissed Fred on the cheek. He was so thoughtful and wonderful. She was unbelievably lucky. There was no way she could go to New York.</p><p>"Ready to go?" Fred asked her.</p><p>"Yep," Daphne replied with a grin.</p><p>"Have fun, you two!" Velma called out her door as Fred and Daphne headed for the street, where the Mystery Machine was parked.</p><p>After Daphne left, Velma returned to her room to text Shaggy.</p><p><strong>What time should I come by? </strong>she asked.</p><p>His response was almost instantaneous.</p><p>
  <strong>Maybe like an hour? I'm almost done making dinner.</strong>
</p><p>Velma grinned. Over the summer, Shaggy had really found his calling and had begun cooking in earnest. Everything he made was not only delicious but, due to his artist's eye, absolutely beautiful. Daphne had a theory that Shaggy could win every showstopper challenge on <em>The Great British Bake Off, </em>no matter the dish. He had the makings of a really promising chef – so much so that he had decided to apply to Coolsville University's culinary arts program. He'd applied to a few other schools as well, like Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island, the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and Roosevelt University in Chicago, but like all his friends, Coolsville U was his first choice.</p><p><strong>What's on the menu? </strong>Velma texted back.</p><p><strong>Like, a surprise, </strong>Shaggy responded, adding a wink-face emoji.</p><p>Velma chuckled. <strong>All right, see you in an hour.</strong></p><p>She put her phone down and wondered if she should wear something special. Velma wasn't an accessories and jewelry kind of girl – indeed, the fact that she had painted her nails with Daphne earlier was something of an anomaly itself – but it <em>was </em>Valentine's Day. It might be nice if she put on a bracelet or something.</p><p><em>Do I even own any jewelry? </em>she thought to herself. Madelyn certainly did, but Velma didn't want to raid her younger sister's room. Her eyes fell on her closet door, and an idea popped into her head. <em>Maybe Dottie left some things behind, </em>Velma thought.</p><p>Velma's older sister Dottie lived in Seattle with her husband Bill and one-year-old daughter Lorelei. Dottie and Bill had met at the University of Washington, where she'd gone despite her parents' pleas for her to attend college closer to home. After Dottie got pregnant during her senior year, she and Bill had taken their final semester off to come back to Coolsville so the Dinkley's could help her through the pregnancy. They had hoped that Dottie and Bill would get married and find a house in Coolsville, but due to a counterfeit scheme from a disgruntled local realtor (which, incidentally, was the first case that Mystery Incorporated had ever solved), they were unable to find housing, and had ended up moving back to Seattle.</p><p>Back when Dottie had lived in the house, she and Velma had shared a bedroom – and thus, a closet. Velma was pretty sure that Dottie had taken everything with her when she moved out, but it was possible that she'd left a few things behind. There was a shelf above the clothing rod that had a box of things that Velma didn't think she'd ever looked through, so that seemed like a good place to start.</p><p>Velma wasn't very tall, so she needed to use her desk chair in order to reach the box. Straining just slightly under the awkward angle of the box, she stepped down from the chair and maneuvered the box over to the desk so she could dig through it.</p><p>It <em>was </em>full of Dottie's things, but there wasn't a lot that was interesting to Velma. Her twelfth grade yearbook was inside, along with a few school assignments from that time. Dottie, like Velma and Madelyn, had a very high IQ, so Velma was unsurprised to see <em>A</em>s and <em>A+</em>s marked at the top of every assignment in the box. As she continued to dig through the contents, Velma realized that these were all things that Dottie had kept in her locker when she was a senior in high school – she must have cleaned it all out when she graduated, then threw them into a box and forgotten about it.</p><p>Near the bottom was a small gray box, about three inches wide, with a post-it note attached. Velma studied it, but the cursive handwriting was atrocious – it was almost impossible for her to make out what it said.</p><p>
  <em>D-</em>
</p><p><em>Thanks for all the help w/ </em>[something ineligible was written here], <em>please take these as a token of my </em>[another ineligible word was written here, but Velma realized from context clues that it must be <em>appreciation]. You're the greatest.</em></p><p>The note wasn't signed, and Velma didn't recognize the handwriting. With a shrug, she moved the note aside and opened the lid of the box. Inside was a pair of stud earrings, each in the shape of a small heart. Velma frowned. None of her sisters had their ears pierced – it wasn't that they weren't allowed, it was that the idea of needles kind of freaked them all out. It was the one thing all three of them had in common, apart from their intelligence and love of music. But closer inspection of the earrings revealed that they were actually magnets. Velma detached the back of the earring and held it up to her lobe. The magnet on the front of the earring snapped into place, sitting comfortably on her ear. She attached the other one and then glanced at herself in the mirror, astonished by the transformation these two small pieces of jewelry gave to her appearance. They made her look…older. More adult, somehow. More sophisticated, certainly.</p><p><em>Who had given these to Dottie? </em>Velma wondered as she examined her reflection. The earrings must have been for Dottie – they'd been found in a box of her old stuff, and the note was addressed to "D." Maybe they were a gift from an old boyfriend? Dottie had had so many in high school, from what Velma remembered. Wherever they'd come from, they obviously hadn't meant enough for Dottie to take them back to Seattle with her. So Velma put the big cardboard box back up on the shelf in her closet and didn't give it another thought. The earrings were hers now.</p><p>And they were perfect for her evening with Shaggy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. I Wanna Hold Your Hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. It's gonna get a little steamy in this chapter, but just to be clear: this fic is NOT a lemon. I can't in good conscience write about high school students having sex, even if they are "of age," so don't worry! It might be a little limey though, so always be sure to check the author's notes at the start of the chapter for appropriate warnings. That being said, there's language, and some graphic Fraphne and Shelma romance in this chapter. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5: I Wanna Hold Your Hand</strong>
</p><p>It was a short drive to Moretti's, but Fred and Daphne talked the whole time and as they walked into the restaurant. They didn't stop until the hostess at Moretti's led them to a small table for two near the window. When the weather was warm, Fred and Daphne usually sat at a table near the street, out on the patio. But since it was mid-February, outdoor seating wasn't really an option. Regardless, the setting was gorgeous. The restaurant was decked out in white linen tablecloths with single long-stemmed red roses as the centerpieces, and soft string music played over the sound system. The lights were low, setting the mood for romance. Daphne took it all in as she and Fred sat down across from each other.</p><p>"Hey, hey!" said their waiter as he approached. It was Tony Moretti, dazzling them with his signature lopsided smile. He looked pretty spiffy in his work uniform – a dark purple vest over a clean white button-down. "Can I start you two off with something to drink? There's a champagne special for V-Day, but we substitute sparkling cider for all the underage couples." This last statement was accompanied by a wink.</p><p>Fred grinned. "Sparkling cider sounds great, Tony. Thanks!" Daphne nodded in agreement.</p><p>"I'll be right back with those," Tony smiled, and headed away.</p><p>"I'm really glad his brother's band is gonna play prom," Fred said. "Seriously. I thought for sure I'd messed up and that the whole class was gonna hate me."</p><p>"No one could hate you, Fred," Daphne assured him, reaching across the table to cover his hand with hers.</p><p>"Maureen Fischer could," Fred replied wryly. "I can't believe she was expecting me to mess this up."</p><p>"Maureen doesn't hate <em>you, </em>Fred," Daphne told him. "She hates <em>me. </em>Because she thinks you picked me over her."</p><p>Fred furrowed his brow in confusion. "What are you talking about? She was never even in the running. It's been you from the start, Daphne."</p><p>Daphne couldn't stop the blush or the butterflies that overtook her when he said that.</p><p>"Two sparkling ciders," Tony interrupted politely, arriving with flutes of light, bubbling liquid. "Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?"</p><p>"I'm ready," Fred said, smiling at Daphne. She nodded in response.</p><p>"Let me see if I can guess," Tony said with a grin. He pointed to Daphne. "Vegetarian lasagna, and..." he pointed to Fred. "...beef ravioli?"</p><p>"You know us well, Tony," Daphne laughed.</p><p>Tony chuckled response and gathered their menus. "I'll be right back with some bread for you while you wait."</p><p>The meal was lovely. Fred and Daphne spent the evening discussing a few of their favorite memories since they'd begun dating, a few of the favorite mysteries they'd solved, and of course, a few of Fred's favorite traps. At the end of the meal, neither were quite ready to go home yet, so Fred suggested they take a drive. He was still reminiscing about traps, and Daphne let him, smiling to herself. Honestly, she sort of loved when Fred got like this. She loved the way his face lit up as he explained clove hitch knots and the tensile strength of various types of nets. It mostly went in one ear and out the other for her, but she loved that he was so passionate.</p><p>It occurred to her that she didn't know how this obsession had begun. She couldn't believe she'd never asked him about it before. "How did you get so interested in traps, anyway?" Daphne asked when he'd reached an organic stopping point.</p><p>Fred looked at her a little sheepishly. "I was in danger of failing science in eighth grade," he admitted. They had driven into the high school, and Fred had parked in the student lot.</p><p>Daphne furrowed her brow in confusion. Fred was good at science – it was his best subject.</p><p>"It wasn't that I didn't understand the material," Fred continued, as though he'd had an idea about Daphne's confusion. "I just wasn't trying very hard to participate in class. But Mr. Vaughn, the science teacher, told me that if I entered the science fair that year, I could bring up my participation grade. I'd read about Rube Goldberg and his wacky inventions, and I thought I could use him as an inspiration to build a better mousetrap." He shrugged. "And the rest was history."</p><p>"I had no idea about any of that," Daphne told him. "How did you do in the science fair?"</p><p>"Honorable mention," Fred admitted. "I couldn't compete with Velma or Hot Dog Water even then." His eyes widened as he realized what he'd said. "Oops."</p><p>Daphne clicked her tongue and shook her head at the use of Marcie Fleach's old nickname. "You shouldn't call her that, you know."</p><p>"I know," Fred sighed. "I hate that I'm still trying to break that habit – I have to really watch myself around Velma. I'm always afraid I'll slip up in front of her." He sighed again. "It's a holdover from when I was on the football team. They all still call Marcie...that."</p><p>"My old friends called her that too," Daphne admitted. "I'm so glad we're with the gang now. They're much nicer."</p><p>"You've always been nice," Fred said.</p><p>"But my old friends weren't," Daphne reminded him. "You remember how Maureen Fischer and I were super close in middle school?" She shuddered. "I can't believe we used to be friends."</p><p>"That's what I'm talking about," Fred replied. "The fact that once we got to high school you saw her for who she was...you're a nice girl, and you couldn't be friends with someone who didn't share those values. It was the first thing that really attracted me to you."</p><p>Daphne smiled at him and rested her head on his shoulder. "When was that?" she asked him.</p><p>Fred wrapped his arm around her and thought. "Ninth grade, maybe? But I couldn't do anything about it because you were going out with Red Herring." Fred made a face and Daphne giggled.</p><p>"Red was a lunkhead," Daphne told him. "He only cared that I was pretty."</p><p>"You are pretty," said Fred. "But you're so much more than that. You're brilliant, and funny, and like I said before, you're one of the kindest people I've ever met. I'm so lucky you gave me a chance."</p><p>Daphne kissed his cheek. "I'm the lucky one," she told him. "No one's ever wanted to date me for <em>me, </em>you know? Everyone else just cared about my looks, like Red. But you...you really see me. You really know me. You really...love me."</p><p>Fred reached over to stroke Daphne's cheek gently with his thumb. "I've never loved anyone as much as I love you, Daphne," he whispered.</p><p>Without even thinking about it, their heads moved together and their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss. Daphne's entire body sunk against him as his arms encircled her waist and pulled her closer. She climbed over the gearshift to straddle his lap, but hit the steering wheel on her way over.</p><p>
  <em>HONK</em>
</p><p>The brief, but loud, beep startled both of them, and they looked at each other and giggled.</p><p>"Why don't we move back there?" said Fred, inclining his head towards the back of the van where Shaggy and Scooby usually sat.</p><p>Daphne nodded, and they both climbed over the seats into the open area behind them. Fred laid Daphne down gently beneath him before lowering his lips back to hers.</p><p>They kissed heatedly, hands automatically removing various articles of clothing. Daphne' scarf and Fred's ascot were both tossed aside, shoes were kicked off, and Daphne's dress was unzipped and discarded. Fred pulled off his sweater and Daphne removed her pink tights. Momentarily they were left in just their underwear.</p><p>"I love you, Freddie," Daphne sighed. She glanced over and vaguely noticed the windows had fogged up.</p><p>"I love you too," Fred replied in a whisper, his mouth on her neck, one hand on her chest. Daphne's breath hitched as his fingers moved down her body. Like the windows, her entire brain fogged at his touch. She clutched him to her, trembling beneath him, mind filled only with the cloudy haze of love and passion.</p><p>"You know," she murmured as she felt his soft touch move along her skin. "I've been thinking…about…"</p><p>"Yeah?" Fred whispered. He, too, was feeling the effects of their nearly naked bodies pressed so close together, of Daphne's smooth skin beneath his.</p><p>"About…us." Somehow, Daphne found she was unable to look Fred in the eye as she said this, so she simply buried her lips into his neck as she murmured, "Making love."</p><p>Fred felt his entire body grow rigid with want.</p><p>"Like…right now?" he replied, drawing back from her slightly so he could look into her eyes.</p><p>"Well…I mean, not <em>right</em> now," she told him, her face slightly warm. The backseat of the Mystery Machine was <em>not </em>her first choice of place to lose her virginity to her greatest love. "But…sometime."</p><p>"Because I have a condom," Fred whispered.</p><p>Daphne was taken aback. "What?" she said, blinking in surprise. Why was she so shocked to know that Fred had been thinking about having sex too?</p><p>"So we…we could do it now," Fred continued.</p><p>Daphne felt her mouth fall open in surprise, but found she couldn't shut it. This was all wrong. She wanted to make love with Fred, she really did. But she'd been telling Velma the truth earlier – she didn't want to do it tonight. Especially not in the back of the Mystery Machine. Where was the romance in that?</p><p>"Uh..." she stammered.</p><p>Fred read her face and sat up. "Oh," he said. His face turned red.</p><p>"No!" she exclaimed, reaching for him. She wasn't about to have Fred thinking she didn't want him. "Freddie, I want this, I do, but... I just want it to be perfect." She looked up at him. "It shouldn't be just a spur-of-the-moment thing, right? It should be…I don't know. Intentional."</p><p>"So you're saying we should…make a plan?" Fred replied.</p><p>Daphne nodded. "I want it to be perfect," she said again.</p><p>"Like, flowers and candles and champagne?" asked Fred with a slight grin.</p><p>Daphne giggled. "Or sparkling cider," she joked, pleased to see that Fred's feelings weren't hurt.</p><p>"Is Tony catering this?" Fred said with a barely contained chuckle.</p><p>Daphne laughed and shook her head, cringing slightly at the thought.</p><p>Fred nodded slowly as their laughter died down. "I guess it does make more sense for us to talk about it before actually doing it."</p><p>Daphne nodded in response. "Would it help if we…set a date?"</p><p>"Do you have one in mind?"</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "Not necessarily."</p><p>"Well, we have time," Fred told her, bringing her closer and kissing her hair. "Maybe over the summer before we start college? Maybe <em>at </em>college? We'd have our own dorm rooms, so we won't have to worry about parents or anything. Just roommates, and I'm sure I can convince Shaggy to leave for a couple hours."</p><p>"Well, I don't know if I want to wait <em>that</em> long," Daphne replied with a smile.</p><p>"Honestly, I'm not sure if I do either," Fred admitted. "So…maybe prom night? We can get a hotel room?"</p><p>Daphne snuggled closer to him. "Perfect," she said. She grinned up at him. "So is this you officially asking me if I'll go to prom with you?"</p><p>Fred chuckled. "Oh, your prom-posal is coming, and it's gonna blow your mind."</p><p>"Is it a trap?" she asked, her eyes twinkling as she remembered an anniversary gift she'd received from him once.</p><p>Fred simply cleared his throat, which made Daphne chuckle.</p><p>"I love you," she told him again. Every time she said the phrase, the absolute truth in it rung through her ears, filling her entire heart with certainty about Fred.</p><p>"I love you too," he replied, leaning in to kiss her again.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Meanwhile, Velma's own Valentine's Day was finally underway. It turned out that Shaggy had cooked a five-course meal completely from scratch. It was delicious, of course, and Velma had a great time. Her only complaint was that Scooby had been there through the whole meal. Normally Velma didn't mind Scooby's presence, but it was Valentine's Day. She was entitled to some alone time with her boyfriend. Right?</p><p>That part did arrive, but not till much later, after Shaggy's parents had gone up to bed (they believed that Shaggy and Velma were just friends, and suspected nothing), and Scooby had fallen asleep next to them on the couch as they watched TV. As soon as they realized the dog was asleep, the two of them quietly crept towards the stairs to the basement, and barely made it to the bottom step before Shaggy pressed Velma up against the wall and kissed her deeply.</p><p>"Eager, are we?" she whispered, grinning.</p><p>Shaggy grinned back and kissed her again. "You like, have no idea," he growled, gripping her waist. "I've been watching Scoob like a hawk, wondering when he'd fall asleep." He dipped his head down and gently kissed behind her ears. "I like the earrings by the way," he murmured, sending pleasant chills down Velma's neck.</p><p>"I was thinking about wearing them more often," she murmured, pulling herself closer to him. "They're magnetic, you know."</p><p>"Like how practical of you," Shaggy whispered, pushing down the collar of her turtleneck to kiss the tender skin of her throat.</p><p>Her breath came in heavy as her fingers snuck up the back of Shaggy's shirt. "Couch?" she managed to gasp.</p><p>Shaggy quickly led Velma over to the basement sofa. Once she was laying down he scrambled over top of her and the two quickly removed their shirts.</p><p>They kissed as Velma's hands ran up and down Shaggy's bare back and one of his hands wiggled between her and the couch cushion to undo her bra.</p><p>"Velm," Shaggy sighed as she shrugged off the straps and tossed her bra to the side.</p><p>This was certainly not the first time they'd done this, but Velma still felt a thrill go through her every time they got this far. Her skin felt electric with every caress, every kiss. Shaggy's hands traveled up her legs and Velma arched her back as pleasure coursed through her. One of his hands came back up to her breast as he moved his head down, kissing her neck, her collarbone, her stomach. Velma let out an involuntary whimper.</p><p>Her mind went hazy with the heat. The parts of her body where Shaggy's fingers or lips touched felt as though they were on fire.</p><p><em>I love him, </em>she thought as she felt his mouth back on hers. <em>I love him.</em></p><p>This was also not the first time she'd had the thought, that she loved Shaggy. The first time she'd thought it had been last year, near the end of the rehearsal process for the musical. She had recently learned that Shaggy had lost his baby sister when he was ten, and he and his family never really talked about her. Since then, Shaggy and his family had been able to have conversations about the baby, but after seeing his vulnerability, Velma's feelings for him had started to change. Throughout the rest of the year, that feeling had been growing stronger and stronger, and she'd realized some time ago that it was love.</p><p>She wasn't ready to tell him yet, not when their relationship was still a secret. Maybe after he told Scooby about them, and they could go on a real date. For now though, she was content to simply lie here with him, kissing and touching and holding each other until it was time for her to go home.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>However, Velma felt quite differently in the morning.</p><p>The day started out okay – she had decided to wear Dottie's earrings again, and Fred and Daphne noticed them immediately when they picked her up. Or, Daphne did, at any rate.</p><p>"I thought you didn't have pierced ears," she said when Velma slid into the van.</p><p>"I don't," Velma replied, reaching up to check that the earrings were still attached. "They're magnets. I found them in a box of my sister's old things and I thought I might wear them."</p><p>"Well they're really pretty," Daphne told her.</p><p>"Yeah," Fred agreed. "They look great."</p><p>"Thanks," said Velma, feeling pleased. She wasn't used to being noticed in this way, or called "pretty" in any regard.</p><p>But her mood changed when they picked up Scooby and Shaggy. She knew from the moment they stepped into the Mystery Machine that it was going to be one of <em>those </em>days. Shaggy barely looked at Velma as he and Scooby slid in next to her.</p><p>"Morning Shag and Scoob. Did you notice Velma's earrings?" asked Fred.</p><p>Scooby studied Velma. "Rey rook nice!" he barked sincerely.</p><p>Velma grinned. "Thanks, Scooby."</p><p>But Shaggy merely gave a small nod of agreement before immediately turning to Scooby and saying, "So like, what should we have for lunch today?"</p><p>Velma sighed under her breath. She hated when he did this. Every now and then, after they'd spent an evening fooling around, Shaggy would completely ignore her in favor of Scooby the next day. She understood that he wanted to throw Scooby off the scent, and that he felt guilty about lying to him, but she absolutely hated days like this.</p><p>Her mood wasn't helped by the note in her locker that morning.</p><p><em>Dear Velma, </em>it read.</p><p>
  <em>I hope you had a great weekend, and that your Valentine's Day was as amazing as you are. I wish I could have celebrated with you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>From, Your Secret Admirer.</em>
</p><p>Velma stuffed the note into her messenger bag and sighed, wishing that Shaggy was as verbal with his affections as the secret admirer. She was annoyed all morning, through homeroom and AP Calc. It didn't help that she had to listen to Daphne's account of her perfect date with Fred during AP Government. Velma tried to arrange her face into a pleased and excited expression as Daphne described her conversation with Fred about consummating their relationship, but inside she was reeling with jealousy. Daphne and Fred could flaunt their relationship all they wanted. They were so in love, and they were so perfect together. It seemed to Velma that Fred did all the right things in his relationship with Daphne – taking her to nice dinners, buying her flowers, telling her he loved her, making sure she (and the world) knew how much she meant to him…hell, even getting a hotel room for them on prom night. He was ticking all the boxes.</p><p>It occurred to Velma, as she left AP Government and headed for AP Spanish, that she had no idea where she stood with Shaggy. Did Shaggy even like her at all, or was he just happy to have someone to hook up with? He'd told her at the end of the musical last year that he had romantic feelings for her, and he'd told her how much he hated sneaking around. But deep down, Velma had a feeling that he hated sneaking around more so because he didn't like lying to Scooby Doo.</p><p>They sat next to each other in Spanish class, with Scooby laying beneath Shaggy's desk, as he did in all his classes. Velma continually glanced at Shaggy out of the corner of her eye throughout Sra. Rodriguez's lecture, but Shaggy adamantly stared straight ahead and avoided looking at Velma at all.</p><p>At lunch, Daphne and Fred talked about the prom, holding hands all the while. Their first meeting with Heavy Meddle was that evening, and everyone was eager to get started. Velma had made a list of everything they'd need from the band, as well as a few ideas about what they thought they might like the band to play. It was a good deterrent from Velma's bad mood, but she sunk right back into it after study hall was over. Fred and Daphne quickly kissed goodbye outside of the library and Daphne left for her trigonometry class. Shaggy barely even looked at Velma before he and Scooby headed off down the hall for government. With a sigh, Velma turned and began walking to AP Bio with Fred.</p><p>"Hey, Dinks! Jonesy! Wait up!" Tony Moretti called out from behind them and jogged to catch up. As they waited for him, Velma reached up to check that her earrings were still attached. They were. Once Tony arrived, he, Fred, and Velma all climbed the stairs to the second floor, where the science classrooms were.</p><p>"You guys ready for our meeting tonight?" he asked.</p><p>"Yep!" Fred grinned. "Velma's got a list ready for everything we want to talk about."</p><p>"'Course she does," Tony grinned at her.</p><p>Velma ducked her head and shrugged. "I like to be organized."</p><p>"I'm glad one of us does," Fred told her. "If I'd mentioned it sooner, I might not have been scrambling."</p><p>As they entered the classroom, Velma noticed Maureen Fischer watching them from her lab table. "I have another meeting tomorrow with <em>her,</em>" Fred whispered to Velma and Tony. "I have to stop by her table during lunch to let her and the prom committee know about what we decide tonight."</p><p>Tony nodded sagely and waved politely to Maureen, who nodded once in return.</p><p>Velma also noticed Marcie Fleach sitting at her lab table flipping through her textbook. When she looked up, Velma waved. Marcie grinned and waved back.</p><p>Biology snailed by. Velma tried to concentrate on their assignment, but she was still annoyed by how Shaggy had been acting all day. Would he at least talk to her tonight, while they were at Tony's house for the meeting? She hated that she had to keep asking these questions, and that she felt so uncertain.</p><p>"See you later, Velm!" Fred called when the bell rang at the end of the period. "Tony," Fred said as he left the room. "See you tonight!"</p><p>"Great!" Tony grinned. "Seven p.m. sharp. I'll order some pizzas."</p><p>Fred smiled. "Shaggy and Scooby will be happy to hear that." He waved once more at Velma, who hurriedly finished writing the homework assignment in her planner before standing up to wave bye to Fred.</p><p>"Hey Dinks," Tony said. "Let's walk downstairs together." Velma nodded and left the classroom with him.</p><p>"So I saw Jonesy and Blake at the restaurant last night," he told her nonchalantly once they were in the hall.</p><p>Velma scowled before she could help herself. "Yeah," she replied, rearranging her face into a more pleasant expression. "Daphne told me how nice the restaurant looked. She said they had a good time."</p><p>Tony furrowed his brow. "Did ah...did you do anything with...you know?" Tony inclined his head to the side, as though gesturing.</p><p>This was a bit strange. They'd had conversations about it in the past, but Tony had never outright asked Velma about her relationship with Shaggy, especially while they were at school. But Velma didn't dwell on it – simply lifted her shoulder in a half-shrug.</p><p>"I'm fine. And we did hang out on Valentine's Day. He cooked me dinner," she told him.</p><p>Tony's face lit up. "Hey, that's great!" he said sincerely. "He's a good cook, isn't he? That must have been fun." Then he noticed Velma's frown and his face fell. "Uh…right?"</p><p>Velma sighed and motioned for Tony to stop walking. They ducked into an empty hallway and spoke in an undertone as other students walked by.</p><p>"Scooby was there the whole time," she told him with a roll of her eyes.</p><p>"Ah," Tony replied. "That sounds...less fun."</p><p>Velma sighed again. "I don't want to sound like I'm ungrateful," she said. "I loved the dinner. It was so thoughtful. And you're right – Shaggy's an excellent chef. But...it wasn't romantic. Not like at the restaurant. No candles or flowers or fancy tablecloths or soft music. And I mean...we didn't get any time to ourselves until after Scooby fell asleep." She shook her head. "I don't mean to complain. I just...I can't help feeling resentful that I have to keep my Valentine's Day a secret, and that I can't kiss my boyfriend goodbye in the hallway, or even hold his hand in public!"</p><p>Tony looked at her sympathetically for a moment, before all the color drained from his face. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at something just behind Velma. She whirled around and found herself face to face with Marcie Fleach, who had evidently just turned down the hall. Marcie's eyes were wide behind her glasses, and Velma knew immediately that Marcie had heard everything she'd just said.</p><p><em>SHIT! </em>Velma felt all the air go out of her lungs. She had never been this careless with her secret. She was just so frustrated with Shaggy. She and Tony stared at Marcie in disbelief.</p><p>"I'm sorry," said Marcie after a few minutes. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop."</p><p>"It's fine," said Tony in a somewhat strained voice. Velma said nothing. She was still kicking herself.</p><p>"I uh...I didn't know you had a boyfriend," said Marcie, who was clearly trying to sidestep the awkwardness.</p><p>"Well uh...it's kind of a secret," Velma whispered.</p><p>Marcie nodded. "I won't tell anybody," she promised.</p><p>Velma didn't know what to say. She and Marcie were friends, but they weren't close. Certainly not as close as she was with the gang. Velma didn't know if she could trust Marcie with a secret of this magnitude. But what choice did she have?</p><p>Tony surprised Velma by approaching Marcie and taking her shoulders, much as Velma had done to Tony when he'd first learned about her relationship with Shaggy.</p><p>"Listen," he told her. "You and me? We're the only people who know. Nobody else. We gotta keep it between us, okay? Shaggy's gonna tell Scooby and once he's done that, then we're in the clear. But seriously – it's super important that this stays between us for now, okay?"</p><p>Marcie nodded, looking a bit frightened at Tony's intensity.</p><p>"I promise, I won't say anything," she said again as Tony let go of her.</p><p>"Thank you," said Velma.</p><p>After a small amount of silence, Marcie spoke again.</p><p>"How long have you been seeing each other?"</p><p>"Since fall of junior year," Velma admitted. "After the musical."</p><p>Marcie's eyebrows show up. "Whoa. You've been keeping it a secret for that long?"</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"And...he still hasn't said anything to his dog?"</p><p>Velma rolled her eyes. "Don't get me started on that. It's the only thing we fight about."</p><p>Marcie looked at her sympathetically. "That must be frustrating."</p><p>Velma blinked. "It is," she murmured. "You have no idea."</p><p>"And none of your other friends know, huh?"</p><p>"Well, no one but Tony," Velma said, gesturing towards him. He grinned cheerlessly at Marcie.</p><p>Marcie nodded. "Well..." She seemed to be deciding on what to say. After several moments, she spoke again. "If you need a...you know. Someone to talk to. A friend. That is, a friend who's...female." Marcie turned slightly pink. She seemed to be unsure of herself, but she continued on. "You can always use me as a...you know. A sounding board."</p><p>Velma couldn't explain it, but hearing Marcie say this made her feel as though a huge weight was lifted from her chest. Marcie was a little awkward, and they weren't close friends, but…maybe they could be. Hadn't Velma just been wishing she could talk to Daphne about her relationship with Shaggy? Well, she if she couldn't talk to Daphne...maybe she could talk to Marcie. This was exactly what Velma needed. She felt considerably lighter with Marcie's offer of friendship.</p><p>"Do you want to eat lunch with us tomorrow?" Velma heard herself ask. She had no idea what Marcie did for lunch, whether she had other people she sat with, but the invitation came out before she could stop herself.</p><p>Marcie looked shocked for a moment, before a grin slowly overtook her face.</p><p>"Um," she said. "Really?"</p><p>"Really," Velma replied. She returned the grin.</p><p>"Sure. Yeah. Okay." Marcie's face was still a little pink, but she grinned wider at Velma.</p><p>Three quick beeps sounded over the PA system, indicating three minutes until the final class period started.</p><p>Velma gasped. "Jinkies! We're going to be late." Hurriedly, the three teens waved to each other and headed off in opposite directions. But Velma was surprised to discover that she was feeling a lot better than she had been even five minutes ago.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Tell Her About It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. Warnings: language and mentions of alcohol addiction. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 6: Tell Her About It</strong>
</p><p>"He lives just down this street," Velma said. Fred nodded and turned the steering wheel.</p><p>It was later that evening, and everyone was in the Mystery Machine on their way to Tony's house. Velma was giving Fred directions from the backseat. Daphne sat in the passenger seat touching up her makeup while Shaggy and Scooby tossed Scooby Snacks into each other's open mouths.</p><p>"Which one is his house?" asked Fred, slowing down.</p><p>Velma peered out the window. "That one. The third one on the right."</p><p>"Uh...the one with the...interesting van parked out front?" Daphne giggled, tucking her lipstick back into her purse.</p><p>Shaggy and Scooby looked out the window as well and laughed out loud. Fred and Velma's laughter soon followed. If they thought the Mystery Machine was ostentatious, it was nothing compared to the vehicle outside of Tony's house. It was quite possibly the ugliest car Shaggy had ever seen. It was painted a garish brown with bright pink and orange accents, which clashed horribly, and the dim light of the streetlamp it was parked under did it no favors. The band's name, "Heavy Meddle," was printed on the side in a terrible font that was somehow familiar to Velma, though she was really laughing too hard to give it much thought.</p><p>Everyone was still chuckling as they exited the Mystery Machine and walked up to Tony's front door.</p><p>"Jinkies," Velma exclaimed, shaking her head between giggles. "That van! Oh my God!"</p><p>"Like I know," Shaggy replied, snickering. He stole another look back at the band's van. "It's just..."</p><p>"Hideous?" Velma supplied through a laugh.</p><p>"Like yes!"</p><p>All five of them burst into giggles again as Fred rang the doorbell. Shaggy and Velma briefly made eye contact and smiled, but Shaggy quickly dropped his gaze. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He'd been avoiding her all day, and he knew it was wrong. But he was so paranoid about Scooby picking up on any tiny little thing.</p><p>"Hey, hey!" Tony smiled at them all as he opened the door. "You're just in time. The band's here and the pizza just arrived, so –"</p><p>"PIZZA!?" Scooby and Shaggy exclaimed in one voice. They pushed themselves into the house and ran for the kitchen, leaving Daphne, Fred, Velma, and a bewildered Tony standing in the threshold.</p><p>"Uh..." said Tony shaking himself. "Anyway...come in, make yourselves at home."</p><p>Tony's brother and the rest of the band were also in the kitchen. Felix, Priya, and Leon sat at the kitchen table, but Julie and Joey stood near the small island where the pizza boxes sat. True to form, Shaggy and Scooby were there too, shoveling pizza into their mouths while Joey and Julie watched with bemused expressions. Felix and Priya weren't paying them any mind, but were going over what looked like a set list. Leon stared into space listlessly, but looked up when Tony entered with Fred, Daphne, and Velma.</p><p>"Hi there!" Fred smiled and waved at Julie and Joey. They came over and each shook Fred's hand hello in turn. "Thanks so much again for playing our prom."</p><p>"Hey, you kiddin'?" Joey grinned. "Happy to do it." He gestured over to the pizza. "You wanna grab a slice or two before we get started? And before your friends ah...eat it all?"</p><p>Scooby looked up, slightly embarrassed. "Rorry," he said, grinning.</p><p>"I like your earrings," Priya said to Velma. She turned to Daphne. "And your scarf is beautiful."</p><p>Both girls smiled as they took a seat. Daphne decided that Priya was her favorite so far – she was so sweet, and easy to talk to. It was no wonder her sister had been friends with her. Everyone chatted a bit as they ate.</p><p>"So how long have you guys been a band?" Fred asked, taking a seat with his pizza. There weren't enough seats at the table for all of them, so Velma stood at the kitchen island with Shaggy, Scooby, and Julie. Joey and Tony pulled out sodas and cups so everyone could have something to drink.</p><p>"We started freshman year," Joey explained, shutting the refrigerator. "We all met in music theory class. Everyone played a different instrument, so we joked about being a band. And then...I don't know, one day it just happened."</p><p>"We didn't really get started till about a year ago though," Priya said. "We had to wait until Joey..." She suddenly widened her eyes and abruptly stopped talking. She shot Joey a worried look. Julie, who stood beside him, pursed her lips at Priya, but Joey shrugged.</p><p>"It's all right, Priya. I don't mind," he told her. To the gang, he said, "I struggled with alcohol addiction a few years ago. I took a year off school, went to rehab – it was pretty bad."</p><p>The gang all shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Tony. They actually already knew this – Tony had told them about his brother's struggles with alcohol the previous year while they'd all been in the musical together. Tony looked sideways at all of them, and they could tell from his expression that Joey did not know that Tony had told them this.</p><p>"I'm much better now," Joey told them, seeming not to notice the brief glimpse that his brother and the gang had exchanged. "I couldn't have gotten through it without Julie." He put an arm around his girlfriend, pulled her to him, and kissed the side of her head.</p><p>"Ruck," Scooby murmured to Shaggy with a snicker.</p><p>Shaggy said nothing, but glanced surreptitiously at Velma. When he saw she was looking at him too, he quickly dropped his gaze again.</p><p>"It's actually kind of how we started dating," Julie told them. "We were already friends, but I would send him goofy letters while he was in rehab."</p><p>"I'd always joke that they were from my 'secret admirer,'" Joey said with a smile. "And then I figured out that I actually <em>did </em>like her, you know, that way. In fact, I more than liked her...I loved her. And when I got out of rehab, I told her."</p><p>"It was very romantic," Julie said. "And we've been together ever since."</p><p>"Aww," said Daphne, bringing a hand to her heart. "That's so sweet! Isn't that sweet Freddie?"</p><p>"Yeah," Fred replied. "Hey Velm, maybe that'll happen with you too! With your secret admirer."</p><p>Tony choked on his drink and Leon and Felix looked up swiftly. Daphne shut her eyes in exasperation and Velma sighed.</p><p>"...Crap," Fred said. "I forgot not everyone knew about that. Sorry, Velma." Fred scrunched his face apologetically.</p><p>"It's no big deal, Fred," Velma replied, wryly shaking her head.</p><p>"No big deal? That sounds pretty exciting to me!" said Julie. "What are they doing like, leaving you love notes?"</p><p>"Yeah," Velma relented with a shrug. "He put this one in my locker this morning." She reached into her messenger bag and showed the note to the others. Tony, Leon, Felix and Priya studied it at the table before passing it back to the island so Julie and Joey could read it.</p><p>Julie smiled. "That's adorable! How long has it been going on?"</p><p>"Like all year," Shaggy said before he could stop himself. Velma glanced over at him in surprise, and Shaggy immediately looked away. That was stupid. He shouldn't have brought up that he'd been keeping track of how long the secret admirer had been sending notes to Velma. That was suspicious as hell.</p><p>Thankfully, Tony came to the rescue. "I didn't know about that, Dinks," he said, still gazing at the note. "Any idea who they're from?"</p><p>Velma scoffed. "I think that's kind of the point of a secret admirer. You know...that they're secret."</p><p>"Oh. Right." Tony looked embarrassed. "Well, you guys are detectives. I bet you could solve this mystery in a snap."</p><p>The college students all looked at Velma dubiously. Velma knew exactly what they were all thinking. <em>The only mystery to solve is how does a frumpy dork like that have a secret admirer?</em></p><p>Daphne spoke up. "I should tell you guys about how Fred and I got together. That was a roller coaster."</p><p>"I'd love to hear that story!" said Priya.</p><p>"I'll clean up," Tony volunteered, beginning to gather empty pizza boxes and dirty plates. Felix and Joey both jumped in to help while Priya and Julie leaned forward and listened intently to Daphne's account of her courtship with Fred.</p><p>Soon everyone was laughing and chatting happily again. Scooby continued eating pizza and Shaggy simply stood by, listening contently to various snatches of conversation between the others. Priya and Julie were sighing as Daphne re-lived her first (non-drunken) kiss with Fred at his sixteenth birthday party. Joey and Felix had become intrigued by the information that the gang were detectives, and listened intently as Fred described a few of his best traps. Shaggy saw Fred beam when Felix compared him to Rube Goldberg.</p><p>Leon didn't talk to anyone, but had gotten up from the kitchen table and was now leaning against the wall between the kitchen and the living room. He seemed to be watching everyone else very closely. It made Shaggy feel creepy. To avoid the scrutiny, he let his eyes roam around the kitchen, and saw Velma wander into the next room. He continued looking at her surreptitiously out of the corner of his eye as she fingered the keys of the baby grand piano in the living room.</p><p>"You play?" Leon asked. He'd also noticed Velma at the piano.</p><p>Velma looked up sheepishly. "Yeah, a little."</p><p>Tony scoffed. "'A little,' she says," he laughed, following them into the living room. "Dinks has been playing since like kindergarten. She had to play for the musical we were in last year and she did great."</p><p>"And last spring the chamber band did a performance of <em>Rhapsody in Blue,</em>" Daphne called from the kitchen table. "Velma played the piano solo."</p><p>Velma ducked her head.</p><p>"I play a little piano too," Leon spoke up, sidling up closer to her. "For a long time in high school, I had a crush on a girl who played the piano – that was how I got started. I wanted to impress her, but…it didn't work out that way. It turned out I have a pretty good memory for compositions, but I'm awful with orchestral jazz." He cocked his head towards the piano. "Show me what you've got?"</p><p>Velma chuckled. "All right," she said, sitting at the piano bench and poising her hands over the keyboard. She turned to glance back at Leon. "I don't have the whole thing memorized."</p><p>Leon shrugged and adjusted his glasses. "No problem. I wanna to hear it anyway."</p><p>Velma looked around again and noticed Shaggy watching her as well. He peeked over at Scooby, who was still face-first in the pizza. Once he saw that Scooby was distracted, Shaggy nodded encouragingly at Velma. She shot him a small smile. Then she turned back to the piano, took a deep breath, and began. Her left hand played the trill, and Shaggy watched her with rapt attention. As Velma's fingers glided up and down the keyboard, Shaggy was transported back in time to last spring, at the band concert where he'd first heard Velma perform this composition.</p><p>Velma had been so nervous beforehand. Shaggy knew because she'd constantly fretted to him (and the rest of the gang) about the performance. But the evening of the concert, you wouldn't have been able to tell from looking at her. She'd walked out onto the stage sleekly, elegantly, exuding self-confidence. Shaggy had applauded enthusiastically, along with everyone else in the audience as she took her seat at the piano. He remembered sitting there in the auditorium, between Daphne and Scooby, and watching in awe as Velma's hands flew across the keyboard. It had seemed that the notes resonated throughout his bones, and he felt the music in his heart, in his soul. Goosebumps erupted all over his arms. He'd wanted to look around at Fred, Daphne, and Scooby to see their faces, but he found he couldn't keep his eyes off Velma. She was so talented, so beautiful, beaming and luminous at the piano. He knew how hard she'd worked, how much she'd practiced, and now it was all paying off. He remembered how proud he felt of her. How astonished he was that she was <em>his </em>(albeit secret) girlfriend.</p><p>Sitting there in the auditorium that night while Velma performed <em>Rhapsody in Blue</em> had been the first time that Shaggy'd had the feeling that maybe he was in love with her.</p><p>This thought brought him back to the present. <em>No! Stop, </em>he scolded himself internally. He'd had this conversation in his head hundreds of times. Before he fully admitted his feelings, he knew he needed to tell Scooby about his relationship with Velma. It wouldn't be fair to her for Shaggy to say he loved her and then still ask her to be a secret.</p><p>With a <em>plunk, </em>Velma finished playing. "That's uh, all I remember off the top of my head..."</p><p>"You're good," Leon told her sincerely.</p><p>Velma ducked her head modestly. "You said you played some, right?" she asked.</p><p>He shrugged. "A little. You know this one?" He started playing the lower part of <em>Heart and Soul.</em></p><p>Velma chuckled and came in with the melody. They played for a little while, Shaggy still watching. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Tony shift his weight. Shaggy almost jumped. He'd nearly forgotten that Tony was there too.</p><p>"Hey," Julie poked her head in from the kitchen. "I think we're ready to start if you guys want to come back into the kitchen."</p><p>Velma and Leon stopped playing. Leon shot Julie a look that Shaggy couldn't decipher. "Yeah, all right," he said. Velma got up from the piano bench and Leon followed, still looking at Julie.</p><p>Julie just stared at him impassively. "Felix went to use the restroom, and then we'll be ready to go." She turned to Velma as she entered the kitchen. "Felix and Priya came up with a preliminary set list, kind of like our 'greatest hits' and some crowd-pleasers, but Fred said that you guys had a list of stuff you'd like us to play too."</p><p>"We can look over both lists and see what we've got," Velma told her. "I think that sounds like a great place to start." She took a seat at the kitchen table next to Daphne. Tony took the seat on Velma's other side.</p><p>"I'll go use the restroom too," said Leon. "Is Felix using the one on this floor or the one in the basement?"</p><p>Priya frowned thoughtfully. "I'm not sure."</p><p>Leon waved a hand. "Eh, I'll figure it out." He headed for the basement.</p><p>"Actually a bathroom break sounds like a good idea," said Joey. "Take ten, everybody! There's a bathroom on this floor, one in the basement, and one upstairs! Technically there's two upstairs, but please don't use the one in my parent's bedroom, because that's weird." Priya and Julie giggled.</p><p>The mention of the restroom reminded Shaggy of something. "Like Scoob?" he said. "You wanna go outside?"</p><p>"Rokay," said Scooby, who had just finished swallowing a last bite of pizza.</p><p>"Tony is it like, cool if we go out into your backyard?" Shaggy asked.</p><p>"Sure thing," said Tony, as he got up from the kitchen table and followed his brother upstairs. "We don't have a fence or anything, but the woods are right there."</p><p>"Rye don't need a rence," Scooby said. Shaggy grabbed his coat and walked out the back door with Scooby in tow. He stood on Tony's back deck while Scooby headed into the woods.</p><p>"Like try not to take too long, Scoob!" Shaggy called, bouncing a bit on the balls of his feet. "It's like, really cold out."</p><p>"Rokay!" Scooby called back as he disappeared into the trees. Shaggy shoved his hands into his pockets and waited.</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>Shaggy turned at the sound of the voice, and was surprised to see Julie closing the back door behind her.</p><p>"Like hi," he said. "I just had to take Scooby Doo outside."</p><p>"Sure." Julie nodded.</p><p>They stood together in silence for a while, shivering slightly in the cold, before Julie cleared her throat.</p><p>"So how long have you been in love with your friend?"</p><p>Shaggy was no longer aware of the chilly air. He now felt very, very hot. Except for his stomach, which now felt like it was made out of ice.</p><p>"Uh..." His throat was dry and scratchy so he coughed. "Like what do you mean?" Maybe if he played dumb, Julie would drop the subject.</p><p>But she just gave him a knowing look. "Don't bullshit me, dude. I saw the way you were looking at her while she was playing the piano. Are you the secret admirer?"</p><p><em>Goddamn it. </em>Shaggy had known his facial expressions would give him away. And he'd been concentrating so hard on avoiding Leon's penetrating gaze that he hadn't even realized Julie had noticed him staring at Velma. Shaggy thought quickly. For a moment, he considered continuing to deny their relationship.</p><p>But Julie looked at him kindly and said, "Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone that you're leaving her notes, I promise."</p><p>After several beats, Shaggy finally spoke. "I'm not leaving her notes," he admitted quietly. "That's like, somebody else."</p><p>Julie picked up on the despondent tone. "Is it like an unrequited love situation?" she asked.</p><p>"No, no, no," Shaggy told her. "It's like...complicated."</p><p>Julie blinked at him. "Complicated how?"</p><p>Shaggy took a deep breath. "We're like...kind of in a relationship," he whispered.</p><p>Julie nodded, but furrowed her brow. "Why are you whispering?"</p><p>"Because like it's a secret," he said. "Nobody knows. Except for Tony. But like that's it. No one else knows that Velma and I are dating."</p><p>Julie looked less confused, but now more concerned. "How come?"</p><p>"It's just...like I said, our relationship is a secret."</p><p>Julie crossed her arms. "And it's a secret because of...what? Are you embarrassed?"</p><p>Shaggy looked at her in bewilderment. "Like what? No, I'm not embarrassed. She's great. Amazing."</p><p>Julie dropped her arms. "Then what's the problem?" She seemed genuinely curious, like she wanted to help.</p><p>Shaggy sighed. He didn't know why he was telling her this. Maybe because she seemed so nice. Whatever it was, it caused him to talk. "I just...I'm like, worried about how <em>he's </em>gonna react," he admitted, inclining his head in the direction of the woods where Scooby had gone. "It's like, just been him and me for years and years. I'm worried that he'd feel like I was trying to replace him if he found out about Velma. And like, I know –" he said quickly, seeing the look on Julie's face. "– I know that I have to tell him eventually. And I'm sure it like, won't be as bad as I'm making it out to be. I just...I know it'll change like, the dynamic of our friendship."</p><p>Julie sighed. "Forgive me for prying but... isn't this causing problems in your relationship with her?"</p><p>Shaggy sighed. "I mean like, we fight about it sometimes. It's the only thing we fight about. Other than that guy who keeps leaving secret admirer notes in her locker, which I like <em>hate</em>, and I mean really hate, and I don't know..." Shaggy thought about what Velma had said in his basement on her birthday. "Maybe she like, wouldn't be getting notes if people knew that we were together." Shaggy felt slightly bewildered telling Julie all this, though it was nice to be able to unload after all this time.</p><p>Julie smiled good-humoredly. "I mean...call me crazy, but I can think of a pretty simple way to solve this problem."</p><p>Shaggy groaned. "Like I know. But I can't hurt Scooby Doo. Like, I don't want him to feel replaced, or like I don't care about him. I do care about him. A lot."</p><p>Julie glanced back into the house. Velma was still sitting at the kitchen table with Fred and Daphne. They were now joined by Priya, who was showing them the list they'd seen her working on with Felix earlier. Velma was bent over the list intently with the others.</p><p>"But don't you care about her, too?" Julie asked Shaggy.</p><p>"Of course," Shaggy replied without hesitation. "Yes, I care about her, she's like, the most important person in the world to me, besides Scoob."</p><p>Julie fixed him with a stare. "Are you in love with her?"</p><p>Shaggy made no response, and Julie had her answer.</p><p>"Does she know?" asked Julie softly.</p><p>Shaggy shook his head and felt his face flush.</p><p>There was a brief silence before Julie chuckled. "You know, it took Joey ages to admit to me out loud that he wanted to go out with me. I'd had a crush on him since the moment I saw him, but it took a lot longer for him to figure out how he felt. That story he told, about telling me he loved me when he got out of rehab? That's exactly what happened. He came right to my dorm the day he left – he didn't even go home first, he just showed up at my dorm with his suitcase and everything – and knocked. I opened the door and said, 'Hey dude welcome back!' and he said, 'I love you.' That was it." Julie laughed. "It wasn't the confession that did it for me, it was the gesture. He's not great with words. But he <em>is </em>good at showing me how much he cares, so I'm never left guessing about how he feels."</p><p>Shaggy glanced sideways at her. "So like, what are you saying?"</p><p>"Actions speak louder than words, my friend," Julie told him. "I would make sure she knows how you feel about her. If you can't admit it to her – or to yourself – you won't be able to admit it to anyone else. So, tell her about it. Or...show her. Whatever works for you. It'll make it easier when the time comes to tell your friends."</p><p>Shaggy sighed as he saw Scooby emerge from the forest.</p><p>"You can do it," Julie said, turning to go back inside. "It's easier than you think."</p><p><em>Yeah, like, sure it is, </em>Shaggy thought. Telling Velma how he felt about her wasn't a problem. Telling Scooby, however, was going to be a whole different story.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Can't Take My Eyes Off of You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Warning: language and mentions of harsh bullying. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 7: Can't Take My Eyes Off of You</strong>
</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Shaggy did not take Julie's advice. While he noticed that now he was able to admit his true feelings for Velma to himself, thanks to Julie's prescient guess, it didn't make it any easier having to say the words out loud. He spent the entirety of the following morning imagining saying the words: <em>I love you, Velma. I'm in love with you. </em>But even as he thought about it, he couldn't stop imagining a look of hurt and betrayal on Scooby's face. Just last night at Tony's house, the dog had gagged at Joey and Julie showing affection for each other. That was all the proof Shaggy needed that Scooby was not ready to hear about Shaggy's relationship with Velma.</p><p>She was quieter than normal on their way to school, which both Shaggy and Daphne picked up on, though the latter was the only one who mentioned it.</p><p>"What's up, Velm?"</p><p>Velma hesitated. Today was the day that she'd invited Marcie to eat lunch with the gang, but she hadn't yet let them know. Also, she still hadn't told Shaggy that Marcie knew about their relationship. She'd have to do it today, before lunch. But she had to tell the others about the invitation first.</p><p>"Um...you know my friend Marcie?" Velma said. "From the science club? We saw her at the Hex Girls concert?"</p><p>"Sure, Hot Dog Water," said Fred without thinking.</p><p>Velma and Daphne both looked at him, aghast.</p><p>"<em>Fred!" </em>Daphne scolded, and Fred turned scarlet.</p><p>"Shit!" he cursed. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."</p><p>"Please don't call her that," Velma murmured, frowning.</p><p>Fred shook his head, mortified. "Of course not. I'm so sorry, Velma."</p><p>"It's fine," she sighed. "Anyway, I um...I asked her to eat lunch with us today. Is that...cool?"</p><p>"Of course," said Fred immediately. He was still reeling from his slip-up with Marcie's old nickname, and thought this was the best way to make it up to Velma.</p><p>"Sure," said Daphne, though Velma detected the slight confused raise of her eyebrows.</p><p>Shaggy shared a quizzical glance with Scooby, also feeling confused. He knew that Velma and Marcie were friends, but he thought it was strictly in a science club/nerdy experiments way. When had they become close enough that Velma wanted Marcie to eat lunch with the rest of them?</p><p>He got an answer later that morning.</p><p>In third period Spanish, Sra. Rodriguez split the class into pairs to peer-review each other's homework essays. Since Shaggy and Velma sat next to each other, they passed their papers and studied them while Scooby lay beneath Shaggy's desk and took a little snooze. Shaggy envied him.</p><p>"Hey," Velma whispered under her breath when she noticed Scooby was napping. "I have something to tell you."</p><p>Shaggy glanced at her over the top of the paper. "Like what's up?"</p><p>Velma looked down at Scooby once more before turning her gaze back to Shaggy. "Don't get upset," she started.</p><p>Shaggy immediately felt on edge. "Like what is it?"</p><p>Velma bit her lip. "Marcie knows about us."</p><p>Shaggy frowned. "Marcie...Fleach ? Like your friend from science club?"</p><p>"The very same."</p><p>"Like how did she find out?"</p><p>Velma turned slightly pink. "She may have heard me talking to Tony about Valentine's Day in the hall after bio yesterday."</p><p>Shaggy felt his heart drop. "You told Tony about Valentine's Day?"</p><p>"He wanted to know what we did. I told him that you cooked for me. And Marcie overheard."</p><p>Shaggy groaned under his breath. "Like Velm, what were you thinking? You were in the middle of the hallway!"</p><p>"Calm down!" Velma hissed.</p><p>"Is that why you asked her to eat with us today?" Shaggy scoffed. "What like, you're gonna buy her silence with lunch?"</p><p>"It's not like that," Velma told him hotly. "She's nice. She won't tell anyone."</p><p>"Like how do you know?" Shaggy asked. "We don't know her!"</p><p>"<em>You </em>don't know her," Velma corrected him. "But <em>I </em>do. She won't say anything. You'll see."</p><p>Shaggy found himself in a foul mood through the rest of the morning. He couldn't believe Velma had been so careless. That wasn't like her. Though of course, Shaggy had – on purpose – told Julie St. James just last night that he and Velma were dating...but that was different. Julie was older, and she didn't go to school with them. There wasn't any way it could get back to Scooby through her.</p><p>By the time lunch rolled around, Shaggy had worked himself up into quite a lather. <em>None </em>of the gang knew Marcie. Fred still called her by that stupid nickname. Shaggy didn't even know the context.</p><p>The lunch period started out a little awkwardly, with everyone solely focused on their food. No one said anything for several minutes until Daphne cleared her throat.</p><p>"So Marcie, where are you thinking about going to college next year?" Daphne asked.</p><p>Marcie looked slightly taken aback that Daphne was talking to her. "Um..." she stammered. "I applied early decision to CalTech and I got my acceptance back in December. I want to study biological engineering or maybe aerospace science."</p><p>"Wow, that's impressive," said Fred. Shaggy silently agreed.</p><p>"Marcie's my only real competition for valedictorian," said Velma, grinning teasingly at the other girl.</p><p>Marcie smiled back. "In order to be a competition, that would imply that you had a chance to win."</p><p>Everyone laughed at the playful banter, and Shaggy relaxed. Marcie did seem nice, and kind of funny. And it certainly didn't seem like she was about to spill his secret. Midway through the period, Velma and Marcie went on a sojourn to the vending machine while Scooby took off to try to beg for food from other students. Maureen Fischer came by the table and commandeered Fred to talk about the prom, so Shaggy and Daphne were left alone.</p><p>"Hey like, can I ask you a question?"</p><p>Daphne speared a snow pea with her fork and inspected it briefly before popping it in her mouth and glancing at Shaggy. "Of course."</p><p>He jerked his head in the direction of Velma and Marcie, who were still perusing the vending machine. "What do you know about her?"</p><p>Daphne looked in the direction of the two girls. "Who, Marcie?" She shrugged. "Not much, to be honest. I've gone to school with her for years, but today is the most I've talked to her in all that time."</p><p>Shaggy peeked at Marcie surreptitiously once more. "Why does she have that like...that nickname?"</p><p>Daphne's face hardened as she put down her fork. "That, unfortunately, I do know." She sighed, leaned closer to Shaggy, and spoke in an undertone.</p><p>"So when we were in middle school, I was best friends with..." She broke off and inclined her head towards the table where Fred now sat with Maureen Fischer and a few other girls from the prom committee.</p><p>"Maureen?" said Shaggy. "Yeah, like I knew about that." Fred had told him on his first day at Coolsville High.</p><p>Daphne shook her head remorsefully. "I'm not proud of it," she told him. "She's always been terrible, but she was especially bad in middle school."</p><p>"Like weren't we all?" asked Shaggy, who himself had been a bit of a delinquent as a preteen, for no reason other than trying to maintain control over his life after the death of his baby sister.</p><p>"I guess," Daphne replied. "But Maureen...I'm not trying to defend her or anything, but she was really insecure in middle school, and she took it out on other girls in our class."</p><p>Shaggy studied Maureen out of the corner of his eye. "Like what did she have to be insecure about?" he asked. Maureen, with her nice figure, wavy chestnut hair, and bright blue eyes, was a pretty girl – despite the fact that she was evil incarnate.</p><p>Daphne looked at him as though he was a sweet little child. "All girls are insecure, Shaggy," she told him. "Especially at that age. Just because you're popular and good-looking doesn't mean you don't fall victim to the same self-doubt and anxieties as everyone else."</p><p>Shaggy frowned. "So like, what does all this have to do with Marcie?"</p><p>Daphne picked her fork back up and stabbed another snow pea. "This is where the insecurity comes in," she said with a sigh. "So...contrary to popular belief, Maureen's not just a vain, vapid demon. She's smart. She's particularly good at science – almost as good as Velma and Marcie. All three of them took honors science in eighth grade, but Maureen and Marcie had the same class period. I don't know the details really because Maureen never explicitly told me, but I got the sense that Maureen was jealous that Marcie was just slightly better. She – that is, Maureen – was always really competitive. It's part of the reason we had a falling out in ninth grade...because she always liked Fred and when it became clear that he liked me, she couldn't handle it."</p><p>"That's like, really dumb," Shaggy stated.</p><p>"Yeah, well, that's Maureen," Daphne sighed. "She always put her worth in what other people thought of her. If she wasn't the most popular, or the best student, she'd do whatever she could to take down the ones who stood in her way. Anyway, she was annoyed that Marcie was better at science than her and she just made it her life's mission to ruin her the only way she could – through gossip. They had gym class together that year too, and Maureen started making a huge deal about how much the girl's locker room smelled after Marcie walked in. That's where the nickname came from – she compared the smell of Marcie's gym clothes to the smell of water that you cook hot dogs in, and the name stuck. It was so stupid. I was in that gym class too, and the smell wasn't anything like that. And even if it was, <em>everybody </em>sweats after gym class, that's just...biology." Daphne sighed yet again and looked askance, where Marcie and Velma were still debating vending machine wares.</p><p>"What else happened?" asked Shaggy. He had a feeling that Daphne was leaving something out.</p><p>With another sigh, Daphne turned back to face him. "The worst thing she did, and I don't know how she never got in trouble for this, was one time before gym class, she broke into Marcie's locker and stole her gym uniform. Marcie was like, fully undressed before she realized they were missing. And then Maureen took her regular clothes and hid them, too. Marcie was frantic, running around the locker room in her underwear trying to find her clothes. She'd also come out recently, you know, as a lesbian, so Maureen made a big deal about how Marcie was trying to show off for the other girls and make them fall in love with her. Marcie was in tears, and Maureen just stood there laughing. It was horrible."</p><p>Shaggy felt every muscle in his body tighten with rage on Marcie's behalf. He had never hated Maureen more.</p><p>Daphne took a deep breath. "I felt awful for not interfering. I still do. And I'm not trying to make excuses, but Maureen was my best friend, and I was terrified of what she'd do to me if I defended Marcie."</p><p>"I understand," Shaggy told her, still seething at Maureen's disgusting behavior.</p><p>Daphne shrugged. "Come to think of it, that was the first day Velma made an impression on me, actually."</p><p>Shaggy furrowed his brow. How was <em>Velma </em>involved with this story? "Like, what do you mean?"</p><p>"She was in our gym class in eighth grade too," said Daphne. "She's always been short, because she's so young, but especially then. We were all thirteen or fourteen and she was what...twelve? But she stormed over to Maureen, stuck her chin out, and told her to leave Marcie alone."</p><p>Shaggy grinned in spite of himself. He could just picture a very young Velma stomping across a locker room, fire in her eyes and smoke coming out of her ears.</p><p>"Unfortunately, that put Velma on Maureen's radar," Daphne continued. "Maureen shifted her obsession from Marcie to Velma. She started the rumor that Velma liked girls, based on the fact that she defended Marcie. She spread it around to anyone who would listen, and it made Velma's life hell. It was the reason she dated Tony Moretti in ninth grade. And it was the reason Velma never stood up to Maureen again whenever she picked on her."</p><p>"But she did," Shaggy reminded her. "Remember in tenth grade? When Maureen told you all she like, caught me smoking pot and she went on like a tirade about how much of a loser I was, and then Velma slapped her right in the middle of the gym? She got her like, one and only detention for that."</p><p>Daphne laughed out loud. "Jeepers! I'd totally forgotten." She shook her head fondly. "Well, she wasn't defending herself so much as she was defending you. But you returned the favor, remember, when you shielded Velma from retaliation?"</p><p>Shaggy did remember. He thought of that interaction often, especially the conversation he'd had with Velma after the fact. He'd told her no one had ever really stood up for him before. And she'd told him no one had stood up for her before either. It was one of the things that had bonded them early on.</p><p>He watched Velma and Marcie walking back to the table, laden with snacks, and felt his heart swell with affection for her. He felt bad for getting mad earlier. She always had his back, and it wasn't her fault that Marcie had overheard her talking to Tony.</p><p>"Who wants chips?" asked Marcie, dumping an armload in the middle of the table.</p><p>"Roh boy!" said Scooby, who had returned. Fred was on his way back from Maureen's table as well, and plopped back into his seat beside Daphne. He put an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. Daphne grinned up at him adoringly.</p><p>Shaggy glanced up at Velma and found she was looking back at him. She gave him a small grin, which he returned. He knew the chips were a peace offering. A <em>please forgive me for spilling our secret </em>gift. Velma slid a bag across the table to Shaggy, and when he reached forward to retrieve it, their fingers touched. He clandestinely stroked the top of her hand with his thumb, in a way that he hoped relayed the message, <em>All forgiven.</em></p><p>From the way she bit her lip and smiled, he knew she got the message.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>The weeks passed, and the weather became warmer. Marcie continued joining them for lunch, but now that Shaggy knew about everything that Marcie endured in middle school, he didn't mind. She and Velma were growing closer and had developed inside jokes quickly. The gang also continued meeting with Heavy Meddle every Monday at Tony's house to discuss prom logistics. They got to know the members of the band pretty well in the coming weeks. Julie was clearly the leader – everyone seemed to delegate group decisions to her. Joey was second in command and Julie often asked for his input, but he usually seemed happy to let her take control. Felix was a bit of a jokester, but took his drumming very seriously. Priya was kind and cheerful and kept the others calm when tensions grew too high – especially when it came to Leon.</p><p>Leon was a bit of a puzzle to the gang. He was quiet and surly, and tended to butt heads with others in the band – especially Julie. The pair of them got into spats at least once a meeting, which made everyone uncomfortable. But with Priya there to keep the peace, normally meetings went smoothly. Everyone in the gang could tell that Fred was feeling much better – he was always in an excellent mood after a meeting with the band. However, the following day he always had to meet with Maureen and the prom committee to relay the progress, which he always found a much less desirous task.</p><p>Julie, too, asked Shaggy to relay his progress on telling Velma his true feelings, and thus on telling the rest of their friends about them. Shaggy found it very distracting to try to be involved in making decisions with Julie glancing to him, then to Velma, then back to him like she was watching a tennis match. This lack of focus proved slightly problematic when it came to making group decisions about the set list.</p><p>"Never thought of you as a <em>Twilight </em>stan, Shag," Fred quipped on the drive to school one Tuesday. It was three weeks after Marcie had first joined them at lunch, and the gang had met with Heavy Meddle the previous evening, where Shaggy had accidentally agreed to add the love song from the final<em> Twilight</em> movie to the band's set list for prom.</p><p>Scooby chortled. Shaggy rolled his eyes.</p><p>"I like don't care about <em>Twilight</em>," he said. "Like literally, I have no strong feelings about it. I don't hate it, I don't love it, I...like, nothing it."</p><p>"Sounds like you 'something' it," said Velma with a grin. "Otherwise you wouldn't keep talking about it."</p><p>"I just..." Shaggy sighed. "Like, really? <em>That </em>song for a slow dance at our prom? There are like, so many better choices, right?"</p><p>"I like that song," said Daphne stoutly. "I think it's really romantic."</p><p>"But it's like, such a cliché!" Shaggy exclaimed. "What about something like 'Can't Take My Eyes Off of You?' Or like, 'The Time of My Life?'"</p><p>"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Daphne held up her hands and stared at Shaggy with a kind of manic incredulity. "You think the love song from <em>Twilight</em> is a cliché, but not the final dance number from <em>Dirty Dancing</em>?"</p><p>"<em>Dirty Dancing</em> is like a classic film!" Shaggy cried.</p><p>"Hold on," Velma turned to gaze at Shaggy, a huge smile on her face. "You like <em>Dirty Dancing?"</em></p><p>"Yes I like <em>Dirty Dancing</em>, and what are you gonna like, say about it?" he challenged, though his eyes glinted with humor.</p><p>Velma just shook her head, looking as though it was her birthday all over again.</p><p>"It would be a great song for Julie and Joey," said Fred, who had just pulled into the parking lot. "I bet that duet would really suit their voices."</p><p>"<em>Ryyyyyyyyy've raaaaad the rime of my riiiiiiiiiiiife</em>," Scooby warbled, terribly off-key.</p><p>Daphne giggled and joined in. "<em>No I've neeeeever felt like this before...</em>" Her voice was much better than Scooby's.</p><p>Fred and Velma also started singing. "<em>Yes I swear, it's the truuuuuuuth, and I owe it all to yooooou!"</em></p><p>Everyone burst out laughing, including Shaggy.</p><p>"If they do that song," Shaggy said as everyone got out of the Mystery Machine. "I will like, do that Patrick Swayze lift with the nearest Jennifer Grey, I am so serious."</p><p>"I could do it better," said Fred, squinting in the sunlight. It was the first pleasant day they'd had, a sign that spring was surely on the way even though it was only the second week of March. Everyone was feeling a bit giddy that morning, which is perhaps what prompted Shaggy to say,</p><p>"Like all right then. Do it now."</p><p>"What?" Fred laughed, glancing at Shaggy.</p><p>"Yeah. Like do it right now." Shaggy pointed at Daphne. "Do the <em>Dirty Dancing</em> lift. I'll like hold your bags."</p><p>"We're in the middle of the parking lot!" Daphne exclaimed, also laughing.</p><p>"No, I can do it," said Fred. He handed his bag to Shaggy. "All right Daph, go stand over by the Mystery Machine. Give Velma your backpack and purse."</p><p>Velma collected Daphne's bags and stood by Scooby and Shaggy to give Fred and Daphne a wide berth.</p><p>"Rhis'll be rinteresting," Scooby chuckled.</p><p>"Do you really think he can do this?" whispered Velma.</p><p>"No idea," Shaggy murmured back. "I guess we're like, about to find out."</p><p>"All right, ready?" Fred called. "On my count! Three...two...one!"</p><p>With a burst of energy, Daphne raced towards him, totally unsure of the outcome. She certainly trusted Fred to catch her, but wasn't sure if he could actually lift her over his head.</p><p>She gave an involuntary shriek as she leaped into his arms, and then another gasp of surprise as she felt herself being lifted into the air. She looked out over the parking lot, not very aware of the stares other students were giving. Only the feeling of Fred's strong hands on her waist, and the jubilant shouts of Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby who were now racing towards them.</p><p>"ZOINKS!" Shaggy cried. "LIKE YOU DID IT!"</p><p>Velma was laughing hysterically as Scooby whooped with delight.</p><p>"<em>Cause IIIIIIIII've haaaaaaad the time of my liiiiiiiiiiiiife!" </em>Shaggy sang out.</p><p>Velma and Scooby joined in. <em>"And I owe it all to yooooooooooou!"</em></p><p>Fred gently lowered Daphne to the ground, their faces very close together, both out of breath, but smiling all the same.</p><p>"Mr. Jones! Ms. Blake!"</p><p>At the sound of the adult voice, the whole gang whirled around and found themselves faced with their kind but no-nonsense homeroom teacher, Mr. Aiken. He was glaring at the couple rather sternly and they stared back at him, abashed.</p><p>"That's a little dangerous, wouldn't you say?" Mr. Aiken asked them.</p><p>"Sorry," they both replied.</p><p>Mr. Aiken sighed and shook his head. "Get inside, please. The warning bell will ring soon."</p><p>Without another word, all five of them hurried into the building, and only stopped to laugh once they had made it to Velma's locker.</p><p>"Like I gotta be honest man," said Shaggy once he'd caught his breath and stopped laughing so hard. "I didn't actually know if you'd be able to do that."</p><p>Fred shook his head, still chuckling. "That'll teach you to doubt me."</p><p>"Tsk."</p><p>The tongue-click came from a group of girls a few lockers down. Maureen Fischer had made the noise and was glaring malevolent daggers at Fred and Daphne.</p><p>"God they're obnoxious," she said to her friends, just loud enough that it carried down the row of lockers towards the gang. "It's like, we get it, you're in love, quit rubbing it in our faces."</p><p>Maureen's friends laughed, but the gang glared at them.</p><p>"Whatever," said Daphne dismissively, turning away. "We all know she's just jealous."</p><p>Maureen and her minions walked past them a few moments later, each group staring angrily at the other.</p><p>"Hey," said a new voice behind them.</p><p>They turned around again, this time faced with their classmates Corinne Faulkner, who had been the props mistress for the musical last year, and Caleb Walters, who was Tony Moretti's best friend.</p><p>"We saw that move in the parking lot," said Caleb, grinning. "That was pretty tight."</p><p>"You guys are so Relationship Goals," Corinne sighed.</p><p>Daphne glanced up at Fred, smiling proudly. He responded by wrapping an arm around her and kissing the top of her head.</p><p>"So," said Caleb, to the group at large. "You guys are friends with Tony, right?"</p><p>"Isn't everybody friends with Tony?" Velma replied. This was true – Tony had no enemies, he was too nice.</p><p>"Good point," Corinne replied with a smile. "Though that does make our job harder. We only want to invite people who won't cause drama – hence why <em>they –" </em>she inclined her head towards the receding backs of Maureen and her minions, "– are not invited."</p><p>"Invited to what?" asked Daphne.</p><p>Corinne gestured for everyone to lean in closer so she could whisper. "Tony's turning eighteen a week from Saturday. We're throwing a surprise birthday party at Caleb's house."</p><p>"Cool!" Fred replied, grinning. "What time is it?"</p><p>"Come by no later than eight," Caleb said in an undertone. "Corinne'll bring Tony around at 8:30. My parents will be out of town till Monday, and my older sister Maren said she'd help us get alcohol. She's twenty-one and goes to Coolsville U."</p><p>The gang all glanced at each other. They didn't mind going to parties where alcohol was served, but it had been awhile since they'd attended one. The first one they'd gone to together had been in their sophomore year, where Fred and Daphne had kissed for the first time. The most recent party they'd attended had been on Halloween. Both had been thrown by Brandon Michaels, who was notorious for throwing boozy parties. Shaggy and Velma shared a look, remembering how drunk they'd gotten on Halloween...and how they'd hooked up in the guest room, much like Fred and Daphne had once done a long time ago.</p><p>"Who else should we invite?" asked Corinne. "We've already got Sadie, Patrick, Rob, and Laura, plus you guys. We're also thinking about Ashley Hoang and Brandon Michaels cuz they can help us get more booze. And we're inviting the track team, the choir, a few people from the drama department, everyone in the SGA, and most of the people in our homeroom. Is there anyone else you can think of?"</p><p>This already sounded like a pretty big party, but there was one person Shaggy could think of who hadn't been listed yet. "Maybe like, some science club people?" he suggested. "I know he's friends with Marcie Fleach."</p><p>Caleb frowned. "Really? You think we should invite Hot Dog Water?"</p><p>"Her name's Marcie," Velma muttered.</p><p>"Come on, dude," Shaggy said. "Marcie's cool."</p><p>Caleb and Corinne looked at each other and shrugged. "All right," said Corinne. "I'll let her know during homeroom, as long as Tony doesn't see."</p><p>"We'll see her at lunch," Velma told them. "We'll let her know if you don't."</p><p>"All right," Caleb replied. "See you guys next Saturday. My house, eight o'clock."</p><p>The gang waved at Caleb and Corinne as they walked down the hall. At that moment, the warning bell rang.</p><p>"Zoinks!" Shaggy gasped. "I like have to stop at my locker."</p><p>"Me too," said Daphne.</p><p>"I have to make announcements," Fred added. He and Daphne shared a quick kiss and they dashed in opposite directions.</p><p>"Like see you in homeroom, Velm!" Shaggy called, waving frantically as he and Scooby headed down the hall for their locker.</p><p>Velma waved after them, smiling faintly. It was sweet that Shaggy had offered to invite Marcie to Tony's party. She wasn't sure how Marcie would fare at a party with underage drinking, but Velma would make sure she felt comfortable. And she knew that Tony did like Marcie. It was thoughtful of Shaggy to include her.</p><p>As she opened her locker, a white slip of paper fell out.</p><p>Velma blinked at it before bending to pick it up. It had been a while since she heard from the secret admirer – the last time he'd left a note in her locker had been just after Valentine's Day. It had been several weeks since then. She'd almost forgotten about him, to be honest.</p><p>She leaned against the lockers and opened the note.</p><p>
  <em>"Dear Velma, Every day I get to see you, it feels like I can breathe a little easier. You awaken something new in me. I long for the days that I can sit by you, looking at your perfect profile and the way your glasses perch on the delicate curve of your nose. I love your eyes, your smile, your freckles. Everything about you is perfect. I will write again soon. Love, your secret admirer."</em>
</p><p>Velma smiled slightly, then frowned. This was a nice note. A lot nicer than usual, actually. Maybe the secret admirer was trying to make up for the weeks of radio silence.</p><p>With a shrug, she tucked the note into her bag, and raced off for homeroom.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. I Really Like You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoy chapter 8! Warning: language. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 8: I Really Like You</strong>
</p><p>Velma ran into Marcie that afternoon in the cafeteria line, as both girls waited for the hot lunch to be placed on their trays.</p><p>"Hey!" Velma said, grinning at Marcie.</p><p>Marcie smiled back. "Hi, V. How's your day been so far?"</p><p>"Fine, mostly," Velma replied with a shrug. "Are you feeling ready for our bio quiz on Friday?"</p><p>Marcie groaned. "Ugh, don't remind me. I'm going to be spending every single study hall for the rest of the week buried in my textbook."</p><p>Velma giggled as the two girls moved down the line. "Hey, did Corinne Faulkner or Caleb Walters talk to you this morning?"</p><p>"No," Marcie replied, furrowing her brow in confusion. "I don't think they even know I exist. Why?"</p><p>Velma glanced around them to make sure Tony wasn't in earshot, then leaned forward to whisper. "They're throwing a surprise birthday party for Tony Moretti next Saturday."</p><p>Marcie's brow creased further. "That sounds...nice," she murmured, as though unsure why Velma was telling her this.</p><p>"You're invited," Velma said with a smile. "We asked, and they said yes."</p><p>Marcie's confused expression shifted into one of worry. "Are you sure they said it was okay?"</p><p>"Yeah!" said Velma. "Shaggy vouched for you. It was his idea, actually."</p><p>They continued moving down the line and Marcie glanced at Velma, still looking worried. "I don't know, V...I hardly know those guys. You know I don't travel in their circle."</p><p>"Well it's not really <em>their </em>circle, is it?" Velma pointed out. "It's Tony's circle. Tony's friends with everyone."</p><p>"That's what I mean," Marcie whispered. "He's got so <em>many </em>friends, his circle is enormous. I've never been to a party that big before. I'd feel out of place."</p><p>"You won't be out of place," Velma told her firmly, putting a hand on her arm. "You'll be with me."</p><p>Marcie turned slightly pink and glanced away from Velma. But she sighed and looked back a moment later. "All right," she relented. "I'll go. Where is it?"</p><p>Velma smiled, letting go of Marcie's arm. She wasn't sure why she felt so relieved to hear that Marcie would be there, but she was, nonetheless. "It's at Caleb Walter's house. I think he lives in the Oak Pond neighborhood, kind of near Willow Springs. The gang and I will give you a ride."</p><p>Slowly, Marcie grinned at Velma. "All right. That'll be nice."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>It seemed as though Velma's secret admirer was doing his best to make up for lost time. There was a note in Velma's locker almost daily now. But as the week went on, she couldn't help but notice a tonal shift. In the beginning of the year, the notes had all been nice, but innocuous. The most emotion the secret admirer had shown had been back in December after Velma had won the science fair. He'd left a note in her locker telling her how amazing he thought she was. But that had been the most flowery language he'd used. Now every day, it was something new.</p><p>There was nothing over the weekend, obviously, but on Monday morning, Velma opened her locker to find that another slip of paper had been stuffed inside.</p><p><em>Dear Velma,</em> it read. <em>I can't wait to see you. I'm counting down the hours. Love, your secret admirer.</em></p><p>Velma frowned at the note and glanced around. The rest of the gang had gone ahead to homeroom (or the front office in Fred's case) and the only other kids in the hallway were huddled in groups of their own, chatting and laughing as they made their way towards other classrooms. She looked back at the note. Maybe Tony was right. Maybe it was time for her to try to solve this mystery.</p><p>She didn't have a chance to talk to the gang about it until the end of the day. There wasn't enough time in homeroom, and she didn't want to bring up the secret admirer notes at lunch. Velma had seen the way the college students reacted to the revelation that she had a secret admirer, and because Maureen Fischer sat so close to their table, she wasn't really keen to let anyone else know about the notes. Besides, Marcie sat with them too, and while she was becoming much better friends with her, she wasn't sure she was ready for her to know about the secret admirer notes.</p><p>Velma finally found time to talk to the gang in the Mystery Machine on the way home.</p><p>"Hey gang," she said as soon as Fred started the van. "Can you all come over for a bit? I think we have a mystery to solve."</p><p>Fred had begun to back out of the parking space, but immediately slammed on the brakes and turned back to gape at Velma. "Oh my gosh. Seriously? What is it?" His face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.</p><p>"I think maybe Tony was right a few weeks ago," Velma replied. "I think we need to find out who's sending me these secret admirer notes."</p><p>"I thought you like, didn't want to know who the secret admirer was," Shaggy said.</p><p>"I never said that," Velma replied, glancing at him. "I just didn't care about finding out before."</p><p>"So what changed?" asked Daphne as Fred finally started to drive out of the parking lot.</p><p>"The notes have, honestly," Velma told her.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Daphne furrowed her brow.</p><p>Velma sighed and glanced out the window. "I'll show you when we get to my house."</p><p>When they arrived at Velma's, no one else was home yet – Mr. and Mrs. Dinkley were still at work, and Coolsville Middle School, where Madelyn went, got out a little later than the high school – so they went right upstairs to Velma's room uninterrupted. Daphne and Fred leaned against the wall near the bureau. Shaggy sat on Velma's bed as Velma herself opened her closet and began rummaging around. Shaggy glanced over at the bulletin board above the desk, and grinned to himself when he saw the drawing he'd made of her still hanging there.</p><p>"Rhat are you roing?" Scooby asked Velma as he sat at Shaggy's feet. He noticed a box on the topmost shelf, but Velma ignored it in favor of a shoebox on the floor.</p><p>"Looking for the notes," Velma replied, finally extracting a simple brown manila folder. She brought the folder over to the desk, and sat down at the desk chair as the rest of the gang gathered around her. One by one, she took the notes out of the folder and spread them out on the desk.</p><p>"Between September and February," Velma said as she arranged the notes. "I received seventeen notes from him. They were usually put in my locker about two weeks apart, sometimes a little less."</p><p>The gang bent over the desk and examined the papers. Other than the Valentine's Day card, the notes were all written on white slips that had been folded several times over.</p><p>"Wait...you said seventeen?" Daphne frowned. "There's only sixteen notes here."</p><p>Velma counted quickly. "That's weird. I could have sworn I had seventeen. Which one am I missing?" She thought quickly. The most recent one - the one she'd received after Valentine's Day. It wasn't there. She must have left it in her locker. Or in her bag. She shrugged and pulled out four more notes. "Anyway, the point is, I never got more than one per week though. At least, not till now." She smoothed out the other notes and laid them down. "These ones all arrived in the last couple days." She looked up at the others. "What differences do you notice?"</p><p>Everyone peered a little closer.</p><p>"I don't really notice anything," Fred admitted after a few moments. "Handwriting's the same, paper's the same...except for the Valentine."</p><p>"Look at the words," Velma implored, handing Shaggy one of the letters. "Read this note from November 10th."</p><p>Shaggy shook it out and cleared his throat. "Dear Velma," he read. "One year ago today, I watched you perform in the school musical and learned that you could sing and play the piano. More proof that you're one of the most amazing people I know. From, your secret admirer." He frowned and felt his blood simmer a little, still annoyed that some anonymous person was sending secret love notes to <em>his </em>girlfriend.</p><p>Velma didn't notice Shaggy's grimace, but passed another note to Daphne. "Now read this one from last Friday."</p><p>"Dear Velma," Daphne read. "I can't stop thinking about you. You invade my every waking thought, and most of my dreams as well. I never imagined that someone as perfect as you could exist. I'm counting down the days until I can see you again. Love, your secret admirer."</p><p>Everyone glanced at each other perplexedly.</p><p>"Well he's definitely gotten more brazen," Daphne said, glancing through some of the earlier notes. "Everything from the first semester was pretty harmless. 'I've had a crush on you since freshman year,' 'You're the most brilliant person in our grade,' 'Congrats on winning the science fair...'"</p><p>"And then the ones from after Valentine's Day," Fred murmured, looking through the other ones. "Are way more lovey-dovey. Like this one from Thursday." Fred leaned closer to read it. "Dear Velma, I dreamt of kissing you last night. I bet your lips are soft and warm. I want nothing more than for this dream to come true. Love, your secret admirer."</p><p>Shaggy felt his hands clench into fists without even noticing it had happened. He unclenched them quickly before anyone else could see, then blinked as he realized something.</p><p>"He said, like, 'love,'" he murmured.</p><p>Velma glanced at him. "What?"</p><p>"The secret admirer," Shaggy said, pointing to two different notes on the desk. "Like before Valentine's Day, they're all signed '<em>from</em> your secret admirer.' But after Valentine's Day, he starts like, using 'love' when he signs."</p><p>Everyone gaped at the letters.</p><p>"Jeepers," Daphne breathed. "You're right."</p><p>"So something must have happened between Valentine's Day and now that made his feelings for you grow stronger," said Fred. "Can you think of anything that may have prompted this?"</p><p>Velma just looked at him.</p><p>Scooby suddenly gasped, causing everyone else to jump in surprise.</p><p>"Like what's up, Scoob?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>"Rony," Scooby said. "Red rold rim."</p><p>Everyone stared at him blankly.</p><p>"Red rold Rony rabout rhe rotes rafter Ralentine's Ray!" Scooby exclaimed.</p><p>"Scoob, buddy, you like, gotta slow down," Shaggy told him. "We can't understand you."</p><p>It took Scooby two more tries before Shaggy finally realized what he was saying.</p><p>"Like you think that Fred telling Tony about Velma's notes is the reason the notes are different now?" Shaggy was confused. "Like, why would that be?"</p><p>Now it was Fred's turn to gasp, and everyone whirled their heads around to glance at him.</p><p>"Maybe Tony's your secret admirer!" he exclaimed.</p><p>"I'm going to stop you right there," Velma said, staring at him hard. It was bad enough that Shaggy suspected Tony – she didn't need Fred jumping on this bandwagon too. "It's not him. He told me last year that he just wanted to be friends. He knows that the relationship between us didn't work out for a reason, and I agree with him. I believe that he just wants to be friends. It's not him. Trust me."</p><p>"Then who could it be?" Fred wondered.</p><p>Daphne made a <em>hmm </em>noise as she thoughtfully glanced through the notes. "Well, we can probably eliminate any underclassmen," she said. "A lot of these notes imply that the secret admirer is a senior like us."</p><p>"And it's not like the senior class is very big," Fred added. He walked over to Velma's book shelf and dropped to his knees, selecting their eleventh grade yearbook from the bottom shelf and bringing it back over to the desk. "Let's figure out some suspects."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>They spent a good portion of the afternoon looking through each of the boys in their class, but they didn't get very far. Apart from Tony, there was no one that they found very likely to be the one leaving the notes. Eventually, the gang gave up and did their homework until it was time to go to their weekly meeting with Heavy Meddle. But the secret admirer notes weren't very far from anyone's mind.</p><p>Secretly, Daphne had a suspicion that Shaggy had something to do with the notes. She'd had the feeling that something was going on between him and Velma since he suggested getting tickets to see the Hex Girls. But had something been going on longer? She didn't want to ask him about it, especially here, but Shaggy <em>had</em> seemed reluctant to help look for suspects.</p><p>The truth was, Shaggy didn't want to assist in the investigation because he hated thinking about Velma's secret admirer. It bothered him to no end that some guy was leaving notes in her locker and he couldn't do anything about it. Well...there <em>was</em> something he could do. He could admit to the world that he loved her, that he was her boyfriend. If everyone at school knew she was taken, maybe that would dissuade the secret admirer from leaving her notes. But Scooby just wasn't ready to hear it.</p><p>Velma was starting to wonder if she was making a mountain out of a molehill. The notes weren't <em>that </em>bad. Just a little weird lately. And okay, it was a little uncomfortable the way the secret admirer suddenly seemed more interested in the physical aspect of Velma, but it wasn't like he'd acted on it or anything. It wasn't as though he was watching her. Stalking her.</p><p>As they sat at Tony's kitchen table chatting with Heavy Meddle about song choices and logistics, Fred hardly paid attention to the conversation. His mind was still halfway on the mystery of the secret admirer. How did you trap someone that you'd never actually seen?</p><p>"We should put a nanny cam in the locker!" he blurted.</p><p>Joey, who was sitting across the kitchen table next to Julie, looked up from the set list and blinked confusedly at Fred.</p><p>"What was that?" he asked. It had been relatively quiet – Fred's outburst had come as a surprise. Daphne, who was standing behind Fred's chair, frowned perplexedly at him as well.</p><p>Fred pointed at Velma, who leaned against the wall next to Tony. "Nanny cam in the locker!" he said to her.</p><p>"Nanny Cam in the Locker is a great band name," Felix said to Julie from her other side.</p><p>"That's how we catch your secret admirer!" Fred exclaimed, ignoring everyone else.</p><p>"Still getting those, huh?" Leon asked from the other side of the kitchen.</p><p>Velma felt her face go a bit red. She didn't want to talk about this in front of the college students.</p><p>But Fred turned to Leon and said, "Yeah. She's been getting them a lot – he used to only send them every now and then but recently they've been coming like, every day. It's weird, right, Velm?"</p><p>"Fred..." Velma said through clenched teeth.</p><p>He rose from his kitchen chair to approach her, oblivious to her discomfort. "Anyway, think about it. If we position it just right, we should be able to get a clear shot of the guy through the vents when he slides in a note. Then we'll be able to figure out who it is once and for all."</p><p>Tony glanced at Fred a little perplexedly, then shifted his gaze to Shaggy, who stood by the kitchen island eating pizza with Scooby. "Well," said Tony slowly, as though choosing his words carefully. "Would that work? I mean...those vents are kinda small. Are you sure you'd be able to get a full shot of the guy?"</p><p>Fred frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know," he relented.</p><p>"It's a good idea," said Daphne kindly, linking an arm through Fred's.</p><p>"It's probably just a joke anyway," said Leon offhandedly.</p><p>Tony blinked at Leon. "What do you mean?"</p><p>Leon shrugged. "I don't know. I mean...whoever's leaving the notes could be leaving them just to be funny."</p><p>"What's funny about a secret admirer note?" asked Priya, who stood by Leon and looked confused.</p><p>Leon waved a hand. "Nothing. Never mind."</p><p>An uncomfortable silence settled in the room as Leon's meaning became clear. Velma felt her neck grow hot under her orange collar. Why hadn't she seen it before? Clearly this was someone who was playing a senior prank on her. No one would <em>actually </em>ever feel that way about her. No one would <em>seriously </em>say those things to her. She was an unattractive, frumpy know-it-all. Not even her own boyfriend would say the things in these notes.</p><p>"I'll be right back. I'm just gonna get some...air," she murmured, exiting through the kitchen towards the foyer. Everyone heard the front door shut softly behind her, and Julie turned to glare at Leon.</p><p>"Nice," she snarled once Velma was out of earshot.</p><p>Leon raised his arms in confusion. "What? I mean, who leaves notes like that in lockers anymore? This is so obviously a joke."</p><p>"Why is it a joke?" Julie challenged him.</p><p>Leon scoffed. "Come on, Jules. You've seen her. She just...she doesn't seem like the kind of girl you'd expect to get notes like that."</p><p>"Hey!" Daphne exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at Leon across the room. "That's a really rude thing to say."</p><p>Leon looked slightly taken aback and held his hands up. "Okay. I'm sorry."</p><p>Tony glanced at Shaggy and infinitesimally moved his head in the direction of the front door. His message was clear: <em>Go see if she's okay.</em></p><p>Shaggy felt a little annoyed that Tony of all people was telling him what to do, but he knew that he was right.</p><p>"I'll like, go check on her," he said, moving away from the kitchen island.</p><p>"Rye'll ro roo," Scooby volunteered.</p><p>Before Shaggy could think of a way to dissuade Scooby from joining him, Tony came to the rescue.</p><p>"Actually Scooby," he said, moving away from the wall. "Would you mind helping me bring these empty pizza boxes into the garage? The recycling goes out tonight, and that's where our bin is."</p><p>"Rokay," Scooby agreed amicably, beginning to gather the boxes into a pile. Shaggy shot Tony a brief glance that he hoped conveyed gratitude and left out the front door. Even though Shaggy was still a little suspicious, he was glad to have Tony on his side.</p><p>Shaggy found Velma sitting on the porch, staring stoically into the middle distance.</p><p>"Like you okay?" he asked, taking a seat beside her.</p><p>Velma exhaled and turned to face him. "Yeah," she replied with a heavy sigh. "I just...I feel kind of stupid."</p><p>Shaggy shook his head. "Velm, you're like...the opposite of stupid."</p><p>Velma rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."</p><p>It was Shaggy's turn to sigh now. "Yeah, like I do," he told her.</p><p>Velma glanced sideways at Shaggy. "Do you think Leon is right?" she murmured. "Do you think that all the secret admirer notes are just...some elaborate prank?"</p><p>"Of course not," Shaggy said immediately.</p><p>Velma gave him a dubious look. "He has a point though," she mumbled. "I'm not...you know, the obvious choice for a secret admirer's affections."</p><p>"Hey," said Shaggy in a soft voice, tentatively placing one of his hands over hers. "Don't listen to that guy. He like, doesn't know you at all. Not like the gang. Not like me. How should he know how people feel about you? How we feel about you?"</p><p>Velma felt her heart flutter as she and Shaggy stared into each others' eyes. "How <em>do</em> you feel about me?" she asked quietly.</p><p>Shaggy felt as though his tongue was too large for his mouth. He knew what she needed to hear. He knew what he needed to say to her. <em>I love you, Velma. I'm in love with you. </em>This was as good a time as any.</p><p>But he also knew that he was too chicken to actually do it.</p><p>Just at that moment the front door burst open, and Scooby Doo stood in the threshold. Shaggy yanked his hand away from Velma's and stood up so fast he almost fell over. Scooby seemed oblivious and trotted over to Velma concernedly.</p><p>"Roo rokay?" he asked her, laying his head on her shoulder.</p><p>Velma patted him, but glanced up at Shaggy with a vague flicker of hurt in her eyes. "Yeah, Scoob," she sighed. "I'm okay. Thanks."</p><p>Scooby gave her cheek an affectionate nudge, then turned to head back inside. Velma stood up and started to follow him.</p><p>"Like wait," Shaggy whispered, catching Velma's arm. He needed to make this up to her. Maybe he couldn't tell her how he felt yet, but he could show her. "Come over on Friday night, okay?"</p><p>Velma blinked. "What?"</p><p>"Please," Shaggy murmured. "It's the night before Tony's party. I like...I wanna spend some time alone. Just the two of us."</p><p>Velma looked at him and sighed. She knew it was hard for him to talk about his feelings – hell, it was hard for <em>her </em>to talk about her feelings. But he was trying. And really...she loved him. What else could she do?</p><p>"Okay," she replied softly. With that, they both smiled at each other and walked back into the house.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Saturday Night's Alright</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back, here's chapter 9! This one is a little long, so let's get started. Warnings include language, underage drinking, and some graphic Shelma and Fraphne romance. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 9: Saturday Night's Alright</strong>
</p><p>The night before Tony's party, after making sure Scooby was asleep, Velma found herself sitting with Shaggy on the couch in his basement, kissing him heatedly. Their clothes were still on, though Velma's sweater was pushed up quite high. Shaggy's hands were beneath it, while Velma's own fingers were twisted in the hair at the nape of Shaggy's neck. Velma was dizzy – always, so dizzy from the effect of his touch. It was amazing how that still hadn't changed after all this time. His kisses elated her, made her feel like so much more than herself. Out of body, like she was on another plane of existence entirely. Ethereal. Unreal.</p><p>"Mmm," she sighed, feeling his hands slide up her back. They let go of each other for a moment to remove their shirts and Velma shrugged out of her bra. Their lips connected again and they lay down and gripped each other still more tightly.</p><p>Shaggy felt as though he'd be content to just stay in his basement all night long – forever, even – just kissing Velma, feeling her soft body beneath his. He always felt this way when they were together. Everything else faded into the background, the rest of his surroundings hazy in the heat he felt with Velma. She was everywhere. She was everything.</p><p>"<em>Velm</em>," Shaggy groaned softly.</p><p>They held each other closer, grasping at skin and breathing still more heavily. Their hands continued to explore each other's bodies, each discovery eliciting a sharp gasp or a small moan. Electricity zapped where fingers and lips made contact, leaving pleasurable warmth in their wake. They were in a stupor, totally and completely consumed by the mere existence of each other.</p><p>
  <em>Creak.</em>
</p><p>The sudden sound of the door opening at the top of the basement stairs brought them back to earth, and Shaggy and Velma sat up quickly. They couldn't see the door from the way the couch was positioned, which meant that whoever had opened it couldn't see them either. But they didn't want to wait to be found. Especially half-dressed, as they were.</p><p>"Shit!" they hissed in unison. Shaggy rolled away and Velma leaped up, grabbing clothes as she went. She hid in the bathroom, closing the door as quietly as she could while pulling her sweater back on. Meanwhile out in the main room, Shaggy had yanked his own shirt back over his head just as the person who had opened the door arrived at the foot of the stairs.</p><p>Or rather, the dog who had opened the door.</p><p>"Scoob?" Shaggy said, feeling breathless. Velma pressed her ear to the door of the laundry room so she could listen. "Hey buddy. You're like...awake."</p><p>"Ri, Raggy!" Scooby said, smiling. "Rhat are roo doing rown here?"</p><p>"Uh..." Shaggy glanced at his surroundings. There wasn't a lot in the basement, apart from the couch, a small wine cabinet, and a shelf of board games. The door to the laundry room was nearby though, and Shaggy was struck with inspiration. <em>Like jackpot!</em></p><p><em>"</em>I uh, was just like, taking my clean clothes out of the dryer," Shaggy said, dashing for a hamper full of his folded laundry. "Could you like, bring this upstairs? I'll be up in a sec."</p><p>"Rokay," Scooby agreed, taking the hamper and heading back upstairs. Once he heard the door close, Shaggy looked to the bathroom and saw Velma exiting.</p><p>"Like that was a close one," Shaggy sighed in relief.</p><p>"Yeah," Velma said, frowning slightly and not quite looking at him.</p><p>"What's the matter?" Shaggy asked.</p><p>Velma shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe...maybe we should have let him catch us. I mean, would it have been so bad?"</p><p>Shaggy stared at her, incredulous. "Like, <em>yes," </em>he replied. "That would have been <em>so </em>bad. Like zoinks Velm, you weren't even wearing a shirt!"</p><p>Velma nodded thoughtfully. "All right, that's a good point. But...I mean, maybe this is the answer. You're looking for a way to let Scooby know about us. What if one day we just...let him see us kissing?"</p><p>"That's like, the worst idea I've ever heard," Shaggy told her. "Come on Velma, that'll just make him mad, and that's the last thing we want."</p><p>"Well I don't see you coming up with any ideas," Velma grumbled. "You keep saying you're working on it, that you're figuring out a way to tell him. But the longer this goes on and the more we have to lie about it, the worse it's going to get. You know that. Wouldn't it just be better to rip the Band-Aid off?"</p><p>"Not by letting him catch us!" Shaggy hissed.</p><p>"Then just <em>tell </em>him," Velma whispered back. "Just say, 'Scooby, Velma and I have been seeing each other.' It would be so easy."</p><p>"If it's so easy then like, you do it," Shaggy muttered.</p><p>"Okay, I will," said Velma defiantly, making to go for the stairs.</p><p>"Hey!" Shaggy caught her arm. "Like how's it gonna look, you storming up my basement stairs at ten-thirty at night? Besides, no, you can't tell Scoob."</p><p>Velma raised her eyebrows incredulously. "I <em>can't?"</em></p><p>"That's like, not what I meant," Shaggy sighed. "I mean...it'll be better coming from me. I have to be the one to do it."</p><p>"But you're <em>not </em>doing it!" Velma exclaimed.</p><p>"But I <em>will!" </em>Shaggy replied.</p><p>"When?" Velma threw her hands up. "You've been saying you will for a year. I'm tired of having this same fight over and over again."</p><p>"Then like, stop starting the same fight over and over again," Shaggy said hotly.</p><p>Velma stared at him and took a step back.</p><p>"What?" she whispered. "You think this is my fault?"</p><p>"No," Shaggy groaned. "Like of course it's not your fault. It's nobody's fault."</p><p>"It's <em>your </em>fault, Shaggy," Velma said, glaring at him. "The ball is in your court – it has been for a long time – and you're just...you're not doing anything with it."</p><p>They looked at each other for a few moments, letting themselves calm down.</p><p>Shaggy sighed, pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her. He really hated fighting with her, and he knew it was his fault she was so frustrated. He sighed into her hair and bent down to kiss her forehead.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he whispered. He planted more kisses along her face, across her cheeks and her nose, dipped briefly into her neck, and then whispered into her ear. His lips brushed her earring. "I'm really sorry, Velm. You're right. It like, <em>has</em> been a long time. But please, trust me. I'll tell him, I promise."</p><p>Velma sighed, and let herself lean into him. She wanted to believe Shaggy. He was her boyfriend. And even though she wasn't ready to say it to him yet, she loved him. You had to trust the people you loved, right? She glanced up at him, only to discover he was looking back at her as well. Shaggy tilted Velma's chin up towards his face, and bent down to softly kiss her on the mouth. She closed her eyes and melted into him, gripping the front of his shirt in an effort to pull herself closer. The kiss carried itself down into the depths of her belly, and then spread so she felt it in every part of her body. It lingered on her lips even when they broke apart.</p><p>"I trust you," she murmured, opening her eyes again.</p><p>Shaggy smiled, closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. "You've been like, so patient," he told her in a whisper. "Just a little longer, okay?"</p><p>Velma nodded. "All right."</p><p>"You should like, probably go," Shaggy sighed reluctantly, checking the time.</p><p>Velma sighed too. "Yeah, you're right. It's late."</p><p>Shaggy glanced towards the stairs. "Like I'll walk you up."</p><p>They paused at the door while Shaggy looked out to check that the coast was clear. When he saw that nobody was around, he opened the door and he and Velma tiptoed quickly toward the back door.</p><p>"I'll see you tomorrow?" Velma whispered on the back porch.</p><p>Shaggy leaned against the door jamb. "Like definitely. I think Freddie said he'd pick us up for the party at like seven forty-fiveish?"</p><p>Velma nodded. "Then I guess I'll see you at quarter to eight."</p><p>They grinned at each other and shared another quick kiss before Velma scampered off into the night.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, Scooby, and Marcie all arrived at Caleb's house at eight o'clock sharp on Saturday night. Most of the guests – including Caleb – were already pretty drunk by the time they got there. The pulsing bass line from the party music greeted them before Caleb did.</p><p>"Heyyyyyyy!" Caleb exclaimed as he opened the front door and let them in. "Just in time! Come in, grab a beer, we've got the kegs set up in the kitchen."</p><p>The gang moved inside, followed rather timidly by Marcie. Velma glanced back at her and gave her a reassuring smile.</p><p>"So," said Caleb, leading them through the house. He spoke loudly, both from the alcohol and in order to be heard over the music from the basement. "Kegs are in the kitchen, like I said. Bathrooms on this floor and upstairs. There's dancing in the basement, but it's a little quieter up here for games – beer pong, flip cup, Kings, whatever. When Corinne calls, I'm gonna get everybody into the living room so we can all shout 'Surprise' when she and Tony walk in the door, cool?"</p><p>"Sure," Fred replied, distracted briefly by Sadie MacElroy and Patrick Kutner, who were sitting on the nearby couch and attached at the face. Caleb didn't seem to notice, simply pumped his fist and headed for the kitchen, presumably to refill his solo cup. Fred looked away from the couple on the sofa and looked at his friends. "Anyone want a drink?"</p><p>"I'll like, take one," said Shaggy.</p><p>"Sure," Velma nodded.</p><p>Marcie glanced around before mumbling, "Yeah, okay."</p><p>"I'll come with you, Fred," Daphne offered. They linked arms and headed off for the kitchen. Sadie and Patrick stopped kissing to breathe for a moment, then looked up at Shaggy, Scooby, Velma, and Marcie.</p><p>"Holy shit!" Patrick exclaimed. "You guys are here?"</p><p>"Like, yep!" Shaggy grinned. He didn't know Patrick very well, but they sat near each other in math.</p><p>"Didn't know you mystery kids would come!" Patrick chortled.</p><p>Velma chuckled a little uncomfortably. "Well, you know. We wanted to celebrate Tony's birthday."</p><p>Sadie giggled. "The last time I saw you at a party like this was...God, maybe sophomore year? At Brandon's?"</p><p>"I remember that!" shouted Patrick. "You and Fred Jones played Kings with us!"</p><p>"Wasn't that the party where he had sex with Daphne Blake?" Sadie wondered.</p><p>Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby all flashed their eyes at her. "They didn't have sex," Velma corrected her. "They just made out. Maureen Fischer started that rumor, but it was completely false."</p><p>Sadie shook her head and wrinkled her nose. "God what a bitch. I was so glad when Caleb said he wasn't going to invite her."</p><p>"She knows how to party though," Patrick said.</p><p>Sadie tsked.</p><p>"Hey you know," Patrick continued. "Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I saw you guys at Brandon's house on Halloween, right? Maybe that was the last party I saw you at."</p><p>Shaggy and Velma glanced at each other. At Brandon's Halloween party, they'd gotten drunk pretty early and had spent most of the evening making out in one of the bedrooms upstairs. Not many people had seen them at the party for that reason. They hadn't realized anyone had even noticed them there.</p><p>"Well we're gonna go say hi to some more people," said Velma, before anyone could say anything else. She grabbed Marcie's wrist and started to lead her away. "See you later!"</p><p>Shaggy and Scooby followed Marcie and Velma towards the kitchen, but not before they heard Patrick say, "They brought Hot Dog Water?"</p><p>Scooby growled under his breath. Shaggy had told him the cruel reason for Marcie's nickname, and he didn't like it one bit. Marcie looked at her feet as Velma continued to lead her into the kitchen, stoically looking ahead. Shaggy clenched his jaw.</p><p>"Like if one more person calls her 'Hot Dog Water' in front of me..." Shaggy whispered to Scooby.</p><p>Velma heard this, and felt her blood cool a little. Shaggy was almost as offended by the continued use of Marcie's nickname as she was. Velma shot him a grateful smile, which he returned briefly.</p><p>They found Daphne and Fred at the keg.</p><p>"So apparently some people still think the two of you had sex at Brandon Michaels' party two years ago," Velma informed them as Fred handed Shaggy a solo cup.</p><p>Daphne waved a hand. "Whatever. Let them think what they want. We know the truth."</p><p>Fred passed solo cups to Velma and Marcie.</p><p>"I've never had beer before," Marcie mused.</p><p>Fred smiled and briefly touched his cup to everyone else's, as though toasting. "Bottom's up."</p><p>They drank.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Tony arrived half an hour later, completely surprised and ecstatic to see everyone at the party. He was thrilled that Marcie had come ("Fleachy!" he'd exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. "Now it's a party!") and after fist-bumping and high five-ing and patting people on the back, the party was fully underway.</p><p>A few hours later, everybody was feeling the effects of the alcohol – Shaggy was louder and more boisterous, Fred seemed to lose much of his coordination, Daphne giggled and flirted and held onto Fred's arm (which didn't help his drunken clumsiness), and Velma was surly. She wanted to find a place to be alone with Shaggy, like they had on Halloween, but she knew it was a bad idea. Besides, Shaggy wasn't even paying attention to her – he was too wrapped up in the game of beer pong that he and Scooby were about to play.</p><p>"Can Scooby...throw?" Marcie asked dubiously. She was the only one who hadn't been drinking steadily through the night, as she had abstained after her first cup of beer.</p><p>Scooby hadn't had any alcohol at all, so he was sober too. "Reah!" he replied, demonstrating his opposable thumbs.</p><p>"Let's go, Scoob!" Shaggy said, gesturing to the table. "Like, we're up!"</p><p>They were playing against Tony and Caleb – two pairs of best friends.</p><p>"Get ready to lose, Rogers!" Tony exclaimed, a teasing smile playing at his lips and his New York accent thicker than ever. He'd had a few drinks by this time as well.</p><p>Shaggy grinned back and shook his head. "Like not if you lose first!" he replied, words slurring together slightly.</p><p>Daphne took another sip from her solo cup and leaned her head against Fred's shoulder. She used to play beer pong – used to be really good at it, actually. Back when she was going out with Red Herring, they would dominate beer pong at parties like this. Red was incredibly competitive, and Daphne didn't like to lose either. It made them a force to be reckoned with. But Daphne never felt so invincible than she did when she was with Fred.</p><p>She felt her stomach twist nervously as she watched Tony line up his shot. On Monday, college acceptances were supposed to start rolling in. She might be hearing from NYU. Even if she was accepted based on academic merit, her acceptance to the theater program was contingent on her audition during spring break. She still hadn't told Fred about the audition. She didn't quite know how. Velma was right – Daphne shouldn't have kept this a secret from him for so long. Now it was getting to a point where she couldn't justify the fact that she'd kept it from him. Part of her almost wished that NYU would reject her, just so she didn't have to tell Fred about the audition.</p><p>But she would be heartbroken if she didn't get in.</p><p>She glanced up at him, gazing at his handsome profile. She didn't want to think about college. She didn't want to think about the future. All she wanted was Fred. Right here, right now.</p><p>"Freddie," she murmured, standing on her toes to whisper in his ear. "Come with me." She felt slightly wobbly as she took his hand and led him back out into the foyer. Uproarious cheers erupted from the beer pong table – Shaggy had scored a point – but Fred and Daphne didn't see it. They crept upstairs, unseen by other party-goers, and slipped into an empty bedroom.</p><p>Perfect. Being alone with Fred in this dim room was a great deterrent from Daphne's worries about college. She looked up into his blue eyes and placed her hands on his chest.</p><p>Fred was about to ask Daphne what was going on, but Daphne's lips were on his before he could even take a breath. It wouldn't have mattered – the kiss would have stolen all the air from his lungs anyway. He gathered her into his arms and held her close.</p><p>Daphne melted into Fred's embrace, grasping his ascot as his strong arms encircled her trim waist. With a muffled sigh, she opened her mouth slightly so that Fred's tongue could brush hers. The slight taste of alcohol accompanied the usual butterflies that always invaded Daphne's stomach when Fred kissed her like this. They stumbled backwards towards the bed as they kissed, and Daphne was vaguely aware of the ruffled bedspread as she lay beneath Fred – they must be in Maren's former room.</p><p>Fred kicked off his shoes and Daphne followed, simultaneously undoing his ascot. In a haze, both of them quickly undressed each other and tossed articles of clothing aside until they were almost naked. They kept kissing all the while, sometimes letting their lips travel down the other's neck, over their shoulders and collarbones, or nibbling the others' ears.</p><p>"Freddie..." Daphne sighed as his hands grazed the edges of her body.</p><p>"I love you, Daphne," Fred whispered into her ear. He moved his fingers between her legs and Daphne arched her back.</p><p>"I love you too, Freddie," she breathed. The alcohol and his touch were making her lightheaded. Her body trembled, begging for more. For all of him.</p><p>Fred groaned in pleasure as he felt her soft touch beneath his boxers. He wanted her so badly. More than he'd ever wanted anyone. Any<em>thing. </em>He felt so much love, so much desire. Daphne was all he saw, all he knew in his drunken haze. He pulled her up to a sitting position briefly and reached around her, fumbling with the hooks on her pink bra. Intoxicated as he was, it didn't go as deftly as he'd hoped.</p><p>"I'll do it," Daphne mumbled, reaching behind her to unfasten the bra. The straps cascaded off her shoulders, and Fred immediately tossed the garment aside. Daphne lay back down, sighing contentedly as Fred's hands explored her naked chest. She felt her whole body alight with passion and desire for him. The love she felt for Fred was like a physical, tangible object. She felt as though she could reach inside her heart and hold her love for Fred in the palm of her hand.</p><p>"Do you have a condom?" she whispered.</p><p>Fred stopped his ministrations and looked up from where he'd been kissing her neck.</p><p>"Um..." he stammered. "What?"</p><p>"I want you, Freddie," Daphne murmured. "People think we've done it anyway…we might as well. Now's as good a time as any."</p><p>Fred sat up and looked at Daphne, rather perplexed. What was going on? When they'd talked about this on Valentine's Day, Daphne had stopped Fred in the Mystery Machine because she wanted their first time together to be special. But they were drunk at a party where all of their friends and most of their classmates were right downstairs. What happened to the prom night plan?</p><p>"Daph, are you okay?" Fred asked. He definitely wasn't sober, but he had enough control of his inhibitions to realize that Daphne was not able to consent to anything.</p><p>"I'm amazing," she slurred, sitting up to wrap her arms around him. "<em>You're </em>amazing. I love you, Freddie. I want this. I want <em>you. </em>I'm ready."</p><p>"No, Daph, you're not," said Fred, gently taking her wrists and prising them off of him. "You're drunk right now, and so am I."</p><p>"I don't care," Daphne mumbled. "Please, Freddie."</p><p>Damn, this was taking every single ounce of his self control.</p><p>"I love you, Daphne," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "I love you so much. That's why I want this to be perfect for you. For both of us. Isn't that what you want too?"</p><p>Daphne sighed, her head swimming in the clouds of passion and alcohol that blurred her brain. Inexplicably, she suddenly felt exhausted. Daphne rested her head on Fred's shoulder and closed her eyes.</p><p>"Daph," Fred said, gently shaking her. This was awfully familiar...just like two years ago. "You can't fall asleep, babe."</p><p>Sleepily, she reached for him, but Fred pulled away gently.</p><p><em>I have to get her home, </em>he realized. He was in no way ready to drive, but he had to get her out of here. Fred gently laid Daphne back on the bed and stood up. The room spun. Nope, he definitely couldn't drive like this.</p><p>"Daphne," Fred murmured. She had curled up on Maren's bed, in just her underwear. Her eyes were closed. "Babe. Wake up. We have to get dressed now, okay? It's time to go home."</p><p>But Daphne shook her head and burrowed under the covers.</p><p>Fred waited a beat, then tucked the edges of the blankets around her to make sure she was completely covered. Then, he threw his clothes back on and cautiously left the room to make his way downstairs.</p><p>Back in the dining room, Shaggy and Scooby were about to win their beer pong game against Tony and Caleb.</p><p>"All right, Scooby Doo!" Shaggy exclaimed, handing him the ball. "It's like, all you, buddy!"</p><p>There was only one solo cup left on the opposite end of the table, and Scooby knew it was a straight shot. He also had the advantage of being completely sober, unlike the other players. A quick cursory glance around at the crowd told Scooby that Daphne, Fred, and Velma were gone. Where did they go? Scooby shook his head. No time for distractions. They were so close to victory, Scooby could taste it.</p><p>
  <em>Plunk!</em>
</p><p>The satisfying sound of the ball hitting the liquid in the cup was quickly extinguished by the uproarious cheers from the crowd. Scooby and Shaggy screamed triumphantly and embraced.</p><p>"Hey, Shaggy!"</p><p>Shaggy whirled around to see Fred sidling into the room.</p><p>"Like dude, we fucking demolished!" Shaggy shouted, clapping Fred on the back.</p><p>"Shag, I need your help," Fred hissed.</p><p>"Did you see that? Scooby Doo like, totally clinched the win for us, it was amazing!"</p><p>"Shaggy, just come with me." Fred led Shaggy and Scooby away from the cacophonous shouts from the beer pong crowd.</p><p>"Rut's up?" asked Scooby, who noticed how tense Fred seemed.</p><p>"We have to leave," Fred told them in as much of an undertone as he could manage.</p><p>"Like how come?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>"Daphne is drunk," Fred told him. "She's asleep in Caleb's sister's room, but I can't leave her up there alone. I just came down to tell you where we were. Can you find Velma and bring her upstairs?"</p><p>Shaggy blinked and looked around hazily. When had Velma left the dining room? Had she not seen his beer pong win? How could he not have noticed she'd gone? <em>Like, bad boyfriend alert, </em>he scolded himself.</p><p>"Yeah like, sure thing," Shaggy replied.</p><p>Frank grinned gratefully. "Thanks, man," he said, then stumbled back up the stairs.</p><p><em>Looks like Fred's drunk too, </em>Shaggy thought. They were all drunk. How were they going to get home? He glanced at Scooby, who was gazing at him with an attentive yet quizzical expression. "Scoob like, do you know where Velma went?"</p><p>"Rope," Scooby replied, shaking his head 'no.'</p><p>Shaggy frowned. "Well, you heard Freddie. He like, needs us to find her." He looked around at the crowd of people in the living room, shaking his head as though to clear it of the muddy, boozy haze. "Like where could she have gone?"</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Midway through the game of beer pong, Velma's frustration had crossed a threshold. She'd already been feeling bored and annoyed that Shaggy was once again ignoring her in favor of Scooby. When she'd noticed that Fred, Daphne, and Marcie had all seemingly evaporated, she had decided to wander downstairs.</p><p>The basement was dark and smelled a bit like a gym locker room, as everyone danced along to the pulsing bass. The beat and the booze resounded in Velma's head. She needed to find somewhere quiet. Beyond the dance floor was a door that Velma thought must lead to a bathroom. She was surprised, however, to see that it led to a small guest bedroom. She was even more shocked to discover Marcie inside.</p><p>Marcie swirled around, looking shocked, but her face relaxed when she saw it was Velma.</p><p>"Sorry," Velma said apologetically. "I didn't mean to startle you."</p><p>Marcie shrugged. "It's okay. I just needed to find somewhere quiet. It's so loud out there." She sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Velma to sit beside her.</p><p>"I know what you mean," Velma told her, taking a seat. With a sigh, she turned to face her. "This party sucks. I'm sorry I made you come." She could hear the slight slur in her voice.</p><p>Marcie shook her head. "Don't apologize. I'm always glad to spend time with you." For some reason, that statement made her turn a bit pink, and she glanced away from Velma. "So," she continued, after clearing her throat. "Where's Shaggy?"</p><p>"Ugh," Velma groaned, flopping backward onto the bed. "He's still playing beer pong with Scooby."</p><p>Marcie grimaced sympathetically and leaned backward on her elbows, saying nothing.</p><p>"He always does this," Velma continued, staring up at the ceiling. The alcohol was loosening her tongue – she wouldn't usually complain about Shaggy like this, especially aloud. "Every time we hang out alone, just the two of us, he completely ignores me the next day. He says it's because he doesn't want Scooby to get suspicious." She rolled her eyes. "It drives me crazy."</p><p>"That must be frustrating," Marcie sighed. "Are you going to ask him to choose?"</p><p>Velma sat up. Too quickly. Her head spun. "What?"</p><p>"Are you going to ask him to choose between you and Scooby?" Marcie asked.</p><p>"Of course not!" Velma exclaimed, completely aghast. The thought had never even crossed her mind. "I would never do that. That would be a horrible thing for me to ask."</p><p>"You're right," said Marcie immediately. "I shouldn't have said anything."</p><p>Velma sighed. "No, it's okay. Honestly, it's a fair question. The truth is..." Velma bit her lip and leaned back on her elbows like Marcie. "The truth is, I'm afraid that if I did ask him to choose...he wouldn't choose me."</p><p>Marcie looked at her sympathetically. "So by not asking, you eliminate the possibility?" she asked.</p><p>Velma nodded. "If I don't ask the question, then I never have to know the answer."</p><p>Marcie furrowed her brow and glanced away again. "What if..." she swallowed and her face turned pinker.</p><p>Velma glanced at her. "What if...?" she prompted.</p><p>Marcie hesitated. It appeared she was working up the courage to say something. "What if...you were the one who did the choosing?"</p><p>Velma frowned. "I don't follow."</p><p>"What if you broke up with him?"</p><p>"I don't want to break up with him," Velma told her. As the words left her mouth, she realized their inherent truth. Shaggy had some annoying behaviors and habits – the biggest being his refusal to commit to her – but she didn't want to leave him. He was her best friend. And... "I love him," Velma whispered. It was the first time she'd admitted her true feelings for Shaggy out loud. Not even Tony knew this. On some level, Velma realized she wouldn't even be telling Marcie this if she hadn't been drinking all evening. <em>In vino veritas, </em>Velma thought to herself wryly.</p><p>Marcie raised her eyebrows in surprise.</p><p>"Oh," she murmured, blinking. "I...I didn't realize you were in love."</p><p>Velma shrugged. "I mean...you're the only person who knows that part. I haven't told anyone else. Least of all Shaggy."</p><p>Marcie nodded slowly. "Well...I'll keep it to myself," she promised. "I know how to keep a secret."</p><p>Velma grinned a little sadly. "Thanks, Marce," she said.</p><p>At that moment, the door swung open to reveal Shaggy and Scooby standing in the threshold. Surprised, Velma and Marcie whirled towards them. "Like there you are," Shaggy said, sounding relieved. "We've been looking for you. I think it like, might be time to go. Fred and Daph are upstairs, but I think they need some help."</p><p>Velma frowned, confused. "Help with what?" she asked.</p><p>Shaggy shook his head. "Like I don't know. But he seemed like, pretty serious."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Fred had gotten Daphne dressed by the time Shaggy returned with Velma and Marcie. Truth be told, Fred had kind of forgotten that Marcie had come to the party with them. But he was thankful for her help – especially since she offered to drive everyone home. Fred was a little reluctant to hand over the keys to the Mystery Machine, but he knew it was the right choice. He definitely wasn't ready to drive, and Marcie had only had one drink several hours ago.</p><p>The ride home was relatively quiet until Marcie asked a very important question.</p><p>"How are we going to get her inside?" She gestured with her shoulder at Daphne, who was fast asleep with her head in Fred's lap.</p><p>"She can spend the night at my place," Velma offered. "I can carry her in." This was true – ironically, though she was the smallest member of the gang, Velma was incredibly strong.</p><p>Marcie nodded, staring out the windshield. "All right. Where do you live, V?"</p><p>As Velma gave Marcie directions, Fred looked back down at Daphne and gently smoothed her hair away from her face. She was fast asleep, but Fred was still confused. What had <em>happened </em>in Caleb's sister's room earlier? Would Daphne even remember any of it?</p><p>When Marcie pulled up to Velma's, Fred gave Daphne a soft kiss on the cheek before helping to gather her into Velma's arms. They waited until the two girls were safely inside the Dinkley's house before Marcie turned to the boys. "All right, who's next?"</p><p>"Rus," Scooby said.</p><p>"Yeah like we live over on the next street," Shaggy told her, closing his eyes as Scooby laid his head in his lap.</p><p>They staggered out of the Mystery Machine and into Shaggy's house, while Fred and Marcie watched. "Where do you live?" asked Marcie when Shaggy and Scooby had gone.</p><p>"On Weston Drive," Fred told her. "But I think I'm ready to take the wheel if you'd like me to take you home first."</p><p>Marcie just looked at him. "Sorry Fred," she said. "But I don't trust that you're ready to drive."</p><p>She was right, of course. Fred felt like his brain was underwater, and his vision was swimming a little. "How will you get home?"</p><p>"I'll walk. I live in the Maple Falls neighborhood too, you know."</p><p>Fred blinked at her. If she lived in Maple Falls, her house must be pretty close to his. How did he not know that? How had he gone to school with this girl for years without knowing anything about her except for a horrible nickname?</p><p>"Marcie," he said as she pulled into their neighborhood. "I'm really sorry."</p><p>She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "What are you sorry for?"</p><p>"...I don't know," Fred admitted. "Everything, I guess."</p><p>Marcie sighed. "Yeah," she murmured, parking in front of Fred's house. "I'm sorry, too."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Every Breath You Take</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. Here's chapter 10! Warnings: language and some mild violence. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera. Also, I have no idea how college acceptances work these days – everything that I mention in this chapter regarding college acceptances are based on things I've read in recent YA novels. I'm old...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 10: Every Breath You Take</strong>
</p><p>The next morning, Velma woke up with a pounding in her ears. Leftover from the beer, she supposed. <em>At least I didn't get so drunk that Shaggy and I snuck away again, </em>she mused, blearily rising from her pillow. <em>How'd I get home last night? Oh right, Marcie drove the Mystery Machine. I should thank her. </em>She reached for her glasses and her phone, which were both on her bedside table next to her magnetic earrings. Once her glasses were on, she unlocked her phone and scrolled through to see if she'd missed any texts or calls from Marcie.</p><p>There wasn't anything from her, but there was a message from Shaggy.</p><p>
  <strong>Shaggy: like, good morning! how are you feeling? I've got like, a killer hangover.</strong>
</p><p>Velma smiled bemusedly. She was still annoyed that he'd ignored her at the party all night, but this was a nice text to wake up to.</p><p>She responded. <strong>I feel fine. A little bit of a headache, but nothing too bad.</strong></p><p>
  <strong>Shaggy: like wanna come over later?</strong>
</p><p>Velma grinned. <strong>How much later? </strong>she texted.</p><p>
  <strong>Shaggy: like an hour? I'm making brunch for me and scoob. you should like, join us!</strong>
</p><p>Velma sighed. She should have suspected it wouldn't just be her and Shaggy. Oh well. It was better than nothing.</p><p><strong>Okay, </strong>she replied.</p><p>Shaggy sent back four thumbs-up emojis. Velma nearly put her phone down, when another message came in – this time from Fred.</p><p>
  <strong>Fred: how's daph? i've been texting her but she hasn't gotten back to me.</strong>
</p><p>Velma's eyes widened. She'd totally forgotten about Daphne! She glanced across the room, at the small air mattress she'd set up last night. Daphne was atop it, fast asleep. Velma exhaled and responded to Fred.</p><p>
  <strong>Yeah, she's fine. Still here, still asleep.</strong>
</p><p>At that moment, Daphne stirred in her sleep, gave a tremendous yawn, and sat up. She held her temples, groaning.</p><p>"Hey," Velma said to her.</p><p>"Mmmmph," Daphne mumbled. "Wow my head hurts."</p><p>"Are you all right?" Velma asked. It occurred to her that she didn't actually know why they'd left the party so suddenly last night – Fred had just seemed adamant to get Daphne home.</p><p>"Ugggghhh," was Daphne's reply. This groan wasn't due to a hangover though – Velma recognized it at something else. Embarrassment.</p><p>"Daph, what happened last night? Do you remember?" Velma asked gently, getting out of her bed and slowly approaching the air mattress.</p><p>Daphne ignored her and buried her face in the pillow. "Oh my God," she moaned, voice muffled by the pillow.</p><p>Velma crossed her arms, frowning. "Daphne, I swear to God if you don't tell me what's going on..."</p><p>With another muffled groan, Daphne dropped the pillow but didn't look at Velma. "I kind of threw myself at Fred last night."</p><p>Velma furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"I was...really drunk," said Daphne, still deliberately staring at the floor. "And I was freaking out about tomorrow."</p><p>Velma was still confused. "Why were you freaking out about tomorrow?"</p><p>Finally, Daphne looked up at her friend. "Velma, tomorrow's the twenty-second. College acceptances start arriving."</p><p>Velma felt her stomach drop out from under her. How could she have forgotten? "Jinkies," she breathed.</p><p>"And I might be hearing from NYU," Daphne said.</p><p>"Is that why you were freaking out?" Velma asked.</p><p>Daphne nodded and slumped back into the pillow. "I'm so worried about it. And about how Fred will react if I get in. I just didn't want to think about it, and I figured the best way to distract myself was..." She trailed off.</p><p>But Velma understood her meaning. "So you tried to jump Fred to take your mind off your nerves about college?"</p><p>Daphne groaned and threw the pillow over her face again. "I know! In Caleb's older sister's old room! I'm so embarrassed."</p><p>This conversation was awfully similar to the one they'd had two years ago, after Daphne and Fred had kissed for the first time. "Did anything...happen?" Velma asked as delicately as she could.</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "No. Fred wouldn't let it – he could tell how drunk I was. I'm grateful for that. A lot of other guys in that situation wouldn't have hesitated to..." Daphne trailed off again.</p><p>"You're right," Velma told her. "He texted me, by the way. I think he was trying to check up on you."</p><p>Daphne reached for her phone, which sat on the windowsill nearby, and grimaced as she saw the amount of messages. "I should call him back," she said. "Thank him for being such a good boyfriend and apologize for my behavior."</p><p>"Do you need a ride home?" Velma asked. She didn't drive yet – she'd barely had her license for a month – but she could ask her mom.</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "No thanks, I can walk. It's supposed to be nice today, and besides, I think I want some privacy while I talk to him." She rose to her feet a little unsteadily and Velma stood up as well.</p><p>"Daphne?" asked Velma quietly. "Can I ask you a question?"</p><p>Daphne glanced at her. "Of course," she replied.</p><p>Velma paused. "If you do get into NYU…what are you going to do?"</p><p>There was a very pregnant silence.</p><p>"I don't know..." Daphne admitted. "I don't want to leave Fred. But...NYU could do so much for me, if I want to be an actor. More than Coolsville U could."</p><p>Velma deflated. She'd been afraid that Daphne would say that.</p><p>"But like I said," Daphne continued quickly. "I have to nail my audition, and I might not even get into NYU's academic program. I'm probably worrying about nothing – there's a lot of variables."</p><p>Velma exhaled. "Well...I suppose we'll find out at least one of them tomorrow."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>The rest of Sunday passed pleasantly. Daphne visited Fred and apologized for her odd behavior at the party. Fred forgave her of course, and while she didn't tell him what brought it on, he felt like it wasn't necessarily important. She'd been drunk, and hadn't been entirely in control of her actions. Fred was glad that he hadn't taken advantage of that – not that he would have, of course. He respected her too much.</p><p>Velma went to Shaggy's house and spent the day sampling breakfast dishes that he and Scooby had concocted. Overall, it was a fun afternoon.</p><p>But Monday dawned bright and early and with it, the promise of college acceptances – or rejections.</p><p>The first thing Velma did when she woke up was check her email. There was nothing yet, but she had known there would have been a slim chance. Notifications, good or bad, probably wouldn't start rolling in till the afternoon.</p><p>When the Mystery Machine rolled up to her house, she was unsurprised to discover Daphne glued to her phone in the passenger seat.</p><p>"Anything yet?" asked Velma as she opened the door.</p><p>Daphne shook her head, still staring at her phone screen. She continued to refresh her email as they drove to Shaggy and Scooby's.</p><p>"Whatcha watchin?" Shaggy asked her when he and Scooby entered the van.</p><p>"College Acceptance TV," Velma quipped with a shrug.</p><p>Shaggy blanched. "Zoinks. Those like, come in this afternoon, don't they?" He dug his phone out as well.</p><p>"Well, not all of them," Velma replied. "I probably won't hear from the Ivies until sometime after spring break. But we'll probably hear from Coolsville U today." <em>And a few others, </em>she couldn't help thinking, glancing back at Daphne.</p><p>Fred alone seemed calm and unbothered. "Come on guys," he said cheerfully. "We probably won't get any emails till after lunch anyway. Why stress about it now?"</p><p>But Daphne continued to check her email throughout the morning, even though she'd have her phone confiscated if a teacher saw it. Thankfully, no teachers noticed, and anyway, it seemed like most of the seniors were in the same boat. Daphne wasn't the only one checking her phone between classes. It stressed Velma out.</p><p>By the time lunch rolled around, everyone in the gang was anxious. Velma gazed around the cafeteria, attempting to ignore Daphne and the phone of imminent doom, when she noticed someone familiar across the way.</p><p>"Hey! Marcie!" Velma waved, and momentarily, Marcie appeared beside their table. She had never responded to Velma's text on Sunday, thanking her for driving them home from Tony's party, so Velma was keen to thank her in person.</p><p>Fred grinned as Marcie approached and beat Velma to the punch. "Hey, thanks for driving us home on Saturday!"</p><p>Marcie ducked her head. "No problem, Fred," she replied. She had not taken a seat – she was still standing beside the table with her lunch tray.</p><p>"Yeah that was like, really cool of you," Shaggy agreed.</p><p>Velma just smiled at her friend, and Marcie grinned back. Then her face fell slightly.</p><p>"So um," she said. "I have some projects to take care of before break – and I'll be working on them during lunch – so I don't think I'll be able to join you this week."</p><p>"Oh," Velma replied, feeling slightly crestfallen. "Well...maybe we'll see you during spring break?"</p><p>Marcie shrugged noncommittally. "Yeah, that'd be nice." She continued to stand awkwardly with her lunch tray for a few moments. "Well…see you later," she mumbled, finally walking away.</p><p>Velma frowned after her. That was strange.</p><p>"Ris she rokay?" Scooby wondered.</p><p>"Yeah like, that was a little weird, right?" Shaggy replied.</p><p>Daphne said nothing, eyes still glued her her phone.</p><p>Fred glanced at her. "Are you still refreshing your email?"</p><p>"I should have opted for snail mail," Daphne groaned. "This is torture."</p><p>"Wouldn't it be worse torture to have to wait for the post office?" Velma pointed out, still gazing in the direction Marcie had gone.</p><p>Daphne didn't reply, just sighed and refreshed her email again.</p><p>She was still distracted during study hall. Everyone took a seat on a table in the library together, watching Daphne stare worriedly at her phone.</p><p>"Daph," Fred whispered. "You gotta put your phone away, babe. Mrs. Miller will write you up if she sees it out." He inclined his head towards the librarian, who sat behind a nearby desk.</p><p>Daphne gave an anguished whimper, but put her phone in her purse all the same.</p><p>The half hour seemed endless. More than once, Daphne had absentmindedly reached for her purse before Scooby gently swatted her hand with his tail.</p><p>"Would you like cut it out?" Shaggy whispered at one point. "You're making <em>me </em>nervous."</p><p>"I'm sorry!" Daphne hissed back.</p><p>"It's okay Daph," Fred murmured. "We know you're anxious."</p><p>"We're not supposed to be talking," Velma reminded them all.</p><p>"Shh!" shushed Mrs. Miller.</p><p>Everyone glanced back down at their books, and didn't look up again until the bell rang. As soon as they were out of the library, Daphne ducked around a corner and pulled out her phone.</p><p>"Daphne!" Fred exclaimed, glancing around.</p><p>"I know," Daphne hissed, opening her email. "I just have to check." She refreshed the page, gasped, and clapped her hand over her mouth.</p><p>The rest of the gang tensed. "Are they in?" Velma murmured.</p><p>"Yes," Daphne replied softly.</p><p>Simultaneously, everyone pulled their phones out. "Scoob like, stand guard," Shaggy said.</p><p>"Rokay," Scooby replied with a salute. Surreptitiously, everyone scrolled through their emails looking for notices from colleges.</p><p>"Nothing from any of the Ivies yet," Velma announced. "But I got into Stanford!" She couldn't help her excited tone. Her first college acceptance, from an incredibly prestigious school.</p><p>Daphne squeaked. "Jeepers, congratulations!"</p><p>"Way to go!" Fred added.</p><p>Shaggy simply smiled proudly at her.</p><p>Velma kept scrolling, and gasped. "And...there's something from Coolsville U here." Her heart pounded in her chest.</p><p>"I've got a note from there too," Fred replied, looking slightly green.</p><p>"Like same," Shaggy said. His hands were shaking.</p><p>"Me too," Daphne murmured. "Should we open them together?"</p><p>Everyone huddled closer together. Velma thought she could feel their hearts beating in time with hers. Subconsciously, Fred and Daphne reached for each other's hands.</p><p>"On the count of three?" Fred asked. The others nodded.</p><p>Velma gulped, nervous. Their futures were about to be decided, right now. She wished she could be holding Shaggy's hand too.</p><p>"One..." Fred began.</p><p>Velma had a sudden thought. What if none of them had gotten into Coolsville?</p><p>"Two..."</p><p>Or worse: what if some of them got in, but some didn't? What if <em>Fred </em>didn't get in? Coolsville was the only school where he'd applied!</p><p>"Three!"</p><p>Everyone opened the email.</p><p>"I'm in!" Fred exclaimed.</p><p>Velma was so relieved she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her chest. A breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding rushed out of her lungs.</p><p>"So am I," she replied, looking at the first sentence of the email. <em>Dear Velma, On behalf of the admissions board at Coolsville University, we are pleased to announce that you have been accepted for the fall semester!</em></p><p>"I got in too!" Daphne cried, relief showing visibly on her face as well.</p><p>"Like me too!" shouted Shaggy.</p><p>With another triumphant sigh, the four of them gathered into a group hug. They had all gotten in to their first choice school.</p><p>"Ronratulations!" Scooby smiled, proud of his friends.</p><p>"Anything from anywhere else?" Velma asked Daphne and Shaggy.</p><p>Daphne glanced back at her phone. "Elon – accepted," she announced. "Carnegie Mellon – wait-listed." She shrugged. "That was a reach anyway." Her brow creased. "NYU..."</p><p>Velma waited with bated breath.</p><p>"...Accepted," Daphne whispered.</p><p>The girls shared a glance. Daphne exhaled, her expression a mixture of joy and confusion. Velma had no idea what her own face looked like. She felt proud of Daphne – she knew how much getting into NYU meant to her. But she also felt...afraid. Why did she feel afraid?</p><p>Fred apparently took no notice of any of the conflicting emotions that flashed through the girls' eyes, but whooped and hugged Daphne hard. "Babe, that's amazing! Congratulations!"</p><p>"Wait." Daphne blinked at him. "You're...happy for me?"</p><p>"Of course!" said Fred sincerely. "It's incredible. I'm really proud."</p><p>Slowly, Daphne's face broke into a smile. Velma grinned too, feeling a bit lighter, but still nervous. With Fred's blessing...would Daphne not go to Coolsville U with them after all?</p><p>In an attempt not to think about something so painful, she turned to Shaggy. "Did you get mail from anywhere else?" she asked him.</p><p>He nodded, looking back at his phone. "I didn't get into the Culinary Institute or Johnson and Wales," he said quietly.</p><p>Without meaning to, Velma reached out and touched his arm comfortingly.</p><p>"Shaggy, I'm sorry," said Daphne sympathetically.</p><p>Shaggy shrugged. "It's like, fine. I didn't really expect to get in there." He glanced back up at his friends, grinning. "But I like, did get into Roosevelt."</p><p>Velma smiled wider, but the pit in her stomach was back. It would be one thing if Daphne didn't go to Coolsville. It would be more awful for words if Shaggy wasn't there with her either.</p><p>"Way to go!" Fred exclaimed, bringing them all in for another embrace. "Honestly, I'm so proud of you guys."</p><p>"We're like, going to college!" Shaggy exclaimed.</p><p>"We're going to college <em>together," </em>Fred added with a smile.</p><p>Was it Velma's imagination, or did Daphne's face fall slightly?</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>That evening at their meeting with the band, the gang was surprised to see that Tony's kitchen had been decorated with a huge banner that read "Congratulations!"</p><p>"Jeepers!" Daphne exclaimed. "What's this for?"</p><p>"You guys, of course!" Tony grinned. Fred and Velma had told him and Marcie in biology that they'd gotten into Coolsville U. He must have been behind this.</p><p>"Jinkies," said Velma, looking at the banner appreciatively. "This is really nice."</p><p>"It was Julie's idea," Tony said. "When I told her your news, she said we should celebrate."</p><p>"Coolsville U's a great school," Julie told them. "You're gonna love it there."</p><p>The other members of Heavy Meddle offered the gang congratulations as well – except for Leon, who seemed surlier than usual today. He sat at the kitchen table with his arms crossed and scowled at nothing in particular.</p><p>"Did you apply?" Daphne asked Tony.</p><p>Tony shook his head. "Nah. I'm gonna take a year to figure out what I want to do – I think I'd like to take over the restaurant someday, but I haven't decided if restaurant management is right for me."</p><p>"Well there's like, definitely no rush," Shaggy told him.</p><p>"Ro rush!" Scooby agreed.</p><p>"You think you'll keep up your mystery-solving during college?" Tony asked the gang at large.</p><p>"You bet!" Fred exclaimed.</p><p>"And you're all fine with going to college in the same town where you grew up?" Leon asked, speaking for the first time.</p><p>Everyone glanced at him, feeling disquieted by his hostile tone.</p><p>"You did," Julie pointed out, rolling her eyes at him. "And so did Joey."</p><p>Leon shrugged. "Yeah, but we all know there are those stuck-up snobs who think that going to school down the street from their house is beneath them. They're too proud to stay in their hick towns and think they can only make something of themselves if they go to college out of state." He jerked his head at Velma. "I mean, I can guarantee Coolsville U's not your first choice, right?"</p><p>Velma eyed him frostily. "Actually, it is."</p><p>Leon raised a disbelieving eyebrow at her. "You really didn't apply anywhere else? Smart girl like you?" he challenged.</p><p>"Why are you picking on her?" Julie asked.</p><p>Leon shot a Julie a dark look. "I'm just asking questions," he said through his teeth.</p><p>Velma didn't need Julie coming to her rescue – she could take care of herself just fine. "It's not the only place I applied," she told him. "I got into Stanford, too. And I'm expecting to hear back from Ivy League schools in the next week or so."</p><p>Leon scoffed waspishly. "You're telling me that even if you get into some place like Harvard or Yale, where the best and the brightest go, you'll be fine with staying here in a podunk town like Coolsville?"</p><p>"Hey," Joey cut in, putting a hand on Leon's shoulder, but Leon shrugged it off roughly. "Calm down, dude. What's with you? You've been like this all afternoon."</p><p>"You mean with a stick up his ass?" Felix smirked.</p><p>"When <em>doesn't </em>he have a stick up his ass?" Julie muttered.</p><p>"Don't test me today, Jules," Leon replied with a growl.</p><p>"Since when it asking a question 'testing' you?" Julie demanded. "We don't have the time or patience for your dramatics. Get over yourself."</p><p>Leon suddenly rose from his seat, knocking the chair back so violently that it fell over. Everyone watched tensely as he lunged towards Julie, standing so close to her that they were almost nose to nose.</p><p>"Say that again," he growled.</p><p>Julie flinched just slightly, but her face remained stoic as she glowered at him, even though it looked as though Leon was about to hit her.</p><p>"Get. Over. Yourself," she snarled.</p><p>Leon shoved her up against the wall, and the others shouted in alarm.</p><p>"Whoa!" Joey and Felix both rose quickly. Joey made to stand in front of Julie, while Felix went to Leon and pulled him back. "What the hell's going on?" Joey glared at Leon.</p><p>Leon glanced around at the others, who were all staring at him with stricken expressions, and he relaxed slightly. "Nothing. I'm fine." He took a deep breath and sat back down. "Sorry," he muttered to Julie.</p><p>She didn't respond, just glared at him.</p><p>"Are you hurt?" Joey asked her.</p><p>"No," she replied, still glaring at Leon.</p><p>Tony and the gang all looked at each other uncomfortably. The tensions between Leon and the rest of the band seemed to be reaching new lengths every week, but this was the worst they'd seen it yet.</p><p>"Are you gonna behave yourself?" Joey asked Leon angrily.</p><p>Leon glanced up at him. "Yeah," he replied, sounding resigned. "It won't happen again."</p><p>"Should we begin?" Priya spoke up.</p><p>After a beat, Julie let out a deep sigh. "Yeah. Let's get started."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>The rest of the meeting went smoothly. There were no more snipes or violent outbursts between Leon and Julie, but the gang worried. They were still talking about Leon's fit of temper on the way to school the following morning, and how the catalyst for had seemed to be Julie's suggestion that he get over himself.</p><p>"I just hope they'll be able to keep it together during prom," Fred sighed as they entered the school. "I don't want their fighting to ruin anything. Not now that Maureen's finally backed off." They had just walked past her in the hallway on their way to Velma's locker, and Shaggy distinctly noticed Maureen glare at them as they walked by. He shuddered under her icy look, and felt grateful that he and the gang never fought the way Julie and Leon seemed to.</p><p>"I'm sure it'll be okay," Daphne assured Fred, completely ignoring Maureen. "After all, the Hex Girls wouldn't have let Heavy Meddle be their opening act if they weren't professional at least during performances."</p><p>"I hope you're right," said Velma. "Leon seemed like he might really hurt Julie."</p><p>They had arrived at her locker, and she sighed when she opened it to find another white slip of paper inside.</p><p>"Jeepers," said Daphne, who also spied the note. "It's been a while since the secret admirer left something."</p><p>Velma didn't reply, just unfolded the note to see what it said. But the words inside made her blood run cold.</p><p>"Jinkies," she breathed.</p><p>"What is it?" asked Fred.</p><p>Velma said nothing, just handed the note off so the others could read it.</p><p>Daphne read it aloud quietly.</p><p>"Dear Velma,</p><p>I've been watching you for a long time, and now I'm ready for you to know who I am. You've gotten plenty of clues. Figure it out before the prom.</p><p>Love, your secret admirer."</p><p>The gang stared at each other, aghast.</p><p>"Zoinks," Shaggy whispered. "Like...that kind of sounds like a threat, right?"</p><p>"Reah," Scooby agreed, glancing around as though looking for the note-writer.</p><p>Velma breathed shallowly, not sure what to think or say. Up until Valentine's Day, the secret admirer had been so nice. But now it was as if they'd done a complete one-eighty. They'd never threatened her like this before.</p><p>"Why does he want you to figure it out before prom?" asked Fred.</p><p>"Probably because he wants to be her date," Daphne replied, glancing from Shaggy to Velma suspiciously. Neither of them noticed – they were both still simply staring dumbfounded at the note.</p><p>"But what's he going to <em>do </em>if you don't figure it out before then?" asked Fred.</p><p>Nobody responded.</p><p>Fred set his jaw. "All right gang," he said. "I think it's time to get serious about solving this mystery. For real."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. You Oughta Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. Hope you all are ready for this very intense chapter. Warnings: language and angst. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 11: You Oughta Know</strong>
</p><p>Fred, as he'd suggested all those weeks ago, procured a nanny-cam the following day and put it inside Velma's locker. Unfortunately, it didn't do much good. The secret admirer didn't put any more notes in Velma's locker that week, and even if he had, it wouldn't have mattered – the slats in the locker door were indeed too thin to capture a good image of anyone on the other side, as Tony had predicted.</p><p>"What should I do?" Velma asked Shaggy on Thursday night. She was at his house again, laying beside him on the couch in his basement. They'd been making out, which had been a great distraction, but now the worry was back. She wasn't one to fret, but this situation was freaking her out – and that was making her short-tempered.</p><p>Shaggy stroked her arm comfortingly. He could only think of one thing to say, and he didn't think it would be particularly helpful, but it was the only response he had.</p><p>"Are you like...absolutely certain it's not Tony?" he asked her.</p><p>Velma glared at him. "Does that note sound like Tony?"</p><p>"Well, no," Shaggy admitted. "But he like, makes the most sense, doesn't he?"</p><p>"No," Velma insisted. "He doesn't make <em>any</em> sense."</p><p>"But he used to go out with you!"</p><p>"It's not him. Trust me."</p><p>Shaggy sighed. "Well, he's like, the only lead we have."</p><p>Velma grumbled and sat up. "He's not a <em>lead </em>Shaggy! I'm telling you, it's not him!"</p><p>"How do you know?" Shaggy asked. "Have you ever like, asked him about it?"</p><p>"No, have you?" Velma asked, her tone biting a little.</p><p>"You asked me what you should do!" Shaggy exclaimed, sitting up as well. "I'm like, giving you my advice. Ask Tony about the notes."</p><p>"Well that advice is stupid," Velma mumbled.</p><p>Shaggy groaned, starting to feel frustration bubble up in him. "You're like, being kind of impossible right now," he told her, rubbing his temples.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry!" Velma spat. "I wouldn't know anything about dealing with an impossible person – like for example, my commit-o-phobe boyfriend who cares more about his dog's feelings than admitting that we have a relationship!"</p><p>Shaggy blinked at her, momentarily stunned into confusion. Why was she bringing <em>that </em>up? It was completely off topic. "Like we're not even talking about that right now!" he cried when he got his voice back.</p><p>"We're <em>always </em>talking about that," Velma insisted. "It's the foundation that this entire relationship is built on. And we both know that I wouldn't be getting these goddamn notes in the first place if people at school just <em>knew </em>that we were seeing each other!"</p><p>"Raggy?" came a voice from the top of the stairs.</p><p>Aghast, Shaggy and Velma stared at each other for a split second. Without a word, Velma crept out of sight while Shaggy waited for his heart to quit pounding.</p><p>"Like what's up Scoob?" Shaggy called up once the adrenaline had ebbed a bit.</p><p>"Rye heard roices. Are roo rokay?" Scooby replied.</p><p>"Everything's fine," Shaggy said, though he wasn't sure it was. He and Velma had never had a fight this big before. And something told him that it wasn't over.</p><p>"Rokay," Scooby responded. "Rye'm roing to bed."</p><p>"I'll be up in like a sec," Shaggy replied. Once Scooby's paws had padded away, Velma came out of her hiding place.</p><p>"I should go," she mumbled.</p><p>Shaggy didn't want her to go. But if she stayed, they might fight again, and he wanted that even less. "Probably," he agreed.</p><p>They wordlessly crept upstairs. Velma knew she should apologize – it was her fault they'd argued. Shaggy had just been trying to help. It had been unfair of Velma to bring up Scooby. Shaggy was right – that didn't have anything to do with the secret admirer notes. <em>If I apologize, it'll all be okay, </em>Velma told herself. But her pride prevented her from doing so.</p><p>Still, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she left. "See you tomorrow?" she whispered.</p><p>Shaggy nodded. "Like, bright and early," he replied. He watched her scamper away through the trees. <em>We'll be in like, better moods in the morning, </em>he told himself.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>But Shaggy was wrong.</p><p>Neither of them were in better moods in the morning. He still felt surly by the time Fred pulled up in the Mystery Machine and he didn't speak to Velma at all on the ride to school. Whether this was because he was nervous about Scooby catching on or whether he was still feeling mutinous after his fight with Velma, he wasn't sure. He knew that he shouldn't give her the silent treatment, that it would drive her crazy, but he couldn't help himself. It was like his heart was acting in spite of his brain.</p><p>Of course this did bother Velma, but she said nothing about it. Only scowled to herself and occasionally shot malevolent glances at Shaggy that no one caught but him.</p><p>Marcie didn't join them for lunch again, which put an even bigger damper on Velma's mood. Fred spent the period trying to get the gang to commit to going to a trap exhibition at the convention center in Lyonsville, hosted by his favorite magazine <em>Traps Illustrated</em>.</p><p>"I think it'll really be good for us," he was saying. "And maybe we'll get some ideas for how to catch whoever's leaving the creepy notes. What do you say?"</p><p>"Um…" Daphne hedged. Her NYU audition was on Monday, right at the beginning of spring break. Velma was still the only one who knew about it. Daphne's mother had helped her procure a plane ticket, and Holden was going to meet her at the airport to take her to her audition. She'd fly back later that night. There was no reason Fred needed to know she'd even been gone – unless of course, he planned to go to that exhibition on Monday. Daphne shot Velma a <em>help me </em>glance, and Velma took the hint.</p><p>"I can't do Monday," Velma spoke up. "My sister and her family are visiting for Passover. They're flying in from Seattle tonight for the Seder, so I'll be playing hostess. But I might be able to convince my parents to let me go later on in the week, as long as I'm back for dinner." This was all true, but Velma couldn't help but feel a little annoyed that she had to come to Daphne's rescue like this.</p><p>Grateful that Velma had given her an out, Daphne sighed with relief. "Maybe near the end of the week then?" she suggested to Fred. "How about Friday?"</p><p>Fred nodded. "Works for me."</p><p>"Like us too!" Shaggy agreed, gesturing to himself and Scooby.</p><p>Velma scowled again. Shaggy talked about himself and Scooby as an <em>us </em>more than he ever did about himself and Velma. Her bad mood grew steadily during study hall and biology. There wasn't much to distract her from her irritation – they should have had a lab today, but because it was the last day before spring break, their teacher, Dr. Stern, had decided to give them a free day.</p><p>"Remember, after spring break, we'll be doing AP test review twice a week," he reminded them as the bell rang. "Your test is on May 14th, so you have exactly seven weeks from today!"</p><p>"Don't remind me," Tony muttered to Velma, grinning slightly. In spite of herself, Velma chuckled as he left. But as her other classmates began to file out of the room, Velma was struck by a sudden impulse. She knew it wasn't true, but at least this way maybe she could get Shaggy off her back about it.</p><p>"Hey Tony, wait up!"</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Maureen Fischer was so ready for spring break.</p><p>She was ready for a vacation from school, from studying her ass off for these AP exams. She was ready for prom, ready to graduate, ready to leave Coolsville for UVA at last. <em>One thing at a time, </em>she told herself with a huff as Dr. Stern reminded her biology class about the exam in May. She still had one more class until break started. A little wistfully, she watched Fred Jones wave to Tony Moretti and Velma Dinkley as he left the classroom for his last class of the day. Tony muttered something to Velma that made her chuckle, and Maureen scowled. She tried not to give anyone in that weird mystery group much space in her brain (other than Fred), but they were such a strange anomaly. They only ever hung out with each other, like a weird little cult. It was like they thought they were too good for anybody else at Coolsville High, and it infuriated Maureen. She didn't give two shits about the dog and the hippie (although he <em>had</em> caused her friend Rachael to get detention two years ago), but it bothered her that Fred was so entrenched in Daphne Blake and solving mysteries that he wouldn't even give her the time of day. And as for Velma Dinkley…well, ever since she'd slapped Maureen in gym class two years ago, she'd had a personal vendetta against the bespectacled girl. But the rumor that she was a lesbian and run its course, and no one cared anymore. If only there was some way that she could truly humiliate that four-eyed freak.</p><p>Maureen noticed Velma set her jaw and call out. "Hey Tony, wait up!"</p><p>He turned at the sound of her voice. "What's up, Dinks?"</p><p>"I have to ask you something," Maureen heard Velma say.</p><p>Tony looked puzzled, but stopped walking. "What do you need?"</p><p>"Not here," Velma whispered, glancing around. "Come with me."</p><p>If Maureen hadn't been paying attention to them, she may not have noticed that exchange. But because she'd been watching Velma so closely, she caught their whole conversation. <em>Hmm, </em>Maureen wondered. <em>What could they be scheming? </em>Stealthily, Maureen gathered up her things and followed Velma and Tony at a distance until they ducked down an empty hallway. Maureen leaned up against the wall around the corner and dug out her planner, pretending like she was checking her homework assignments while actually listening intently to Velma and Tony's conversation.</p><p>"Listen," Velma said. "There's no good way to ask this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. Are you leaving notes in my locker?"</p><p>Maureen peeked around the corner. Tony and Velma didn't notice her, but she could see Tony frown.</p><p>"You mean the secret admirer ones that Fred told us about?" he asked, sounding perplexed. "No. That's not me."</p><p>Maureen scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion. Who in their right mind would leave secret admirer notes for a dork like Dinkley? Other than as a joke.</p><p>Velma sighed. "I didn't think so. But Shaggy's convinced it's you, so at least now I can tell him how off the mark he is."</p><p>Tony creased his eyebrows further. "Wait…he's not the one leaving them?"</p><p>Velma scoffed. "Why would it be him? You think that because we've been in this secret relationship since last year, he's using notes as an excuse to tell me how he feels without raising any suspicions?"</p><p>Tony shrugged. "Well…yeah, honestly."</p><p>Maureen felt her jaw drop. Shaggy and Velma were <em>dating?! </em>Since when?!</p><p>"That's why I always try to change the subject when someone brings it up at band meetings," Tony continued. "I didn't want the secret to be spilled in front of Scooby."</p><p>Velma rolled her eyes. "You know, he's been saying he'll tell Scooby about us for more than a year now. I'm starting to think we'll <em>never </em>go public with this."</p><p>Maureen could hardly believe what she was hearing. Shaggy Rogers and Velma Dinkley had been in a secret relationship for <em>over a year?! </em>And it was a secret because Rogers didn't want his <em>dog </em>to find out?</p><p>
  <em>I think I just figured out how to get back at that dork.</em>
</p><p>But she had to act fast.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Shaggy always took Scooby out right before their last class of the day. Everyone in their grade knew that he'd gotten an exemption from the principal, Mr. O'Donavan, so he was allowed to be out of the building near the woods a few times a day in order for Scooby to do his business. In two years, no one had ever joined him outside.</p><p>Until today.</p><p>"Hey, Rogers."</p><p>Shaggy had been leaning against the chain-link fence near the outdoor track, but started at the sound of the voice. He felt his stomach lurch when he saw that the voice belonged to Maureen Fischer.</p><p>"Uh…" was all Shaggy could think of to reply. Had he and Maureen <em>ever </em>exchanged words? Not counting sophomore year, when she had antagonized Velma into slapping her. He didn't know what was going on here, but he had an ominous feeling.</p><p>"Where's your dog?" Maureen asked conversationally as she approached him at the fence.</p><p>Still apprehensive, Shaggy indicated the tree line a few yards away, out of earshot. "Like in the woods. Why?"</p><p>Maureen shrugged. "Just wanted to make sure we wouldn't be interrupted."</p><p>Oh, this wasn't good at all.</p><p>Maureen glanced off into the distance. "Thought much about prom?"</p><p>Shaggy furrowed his brow. He was so confused. Did she want to talk about Heavy Meddle? "Uh…well, like we meet with the band once a week," he replied.</p><p>Maureen scoffed and looked back at him. "I meant about who you're going to take."</p><p>"I think like, the gang and I are all gonna go as a group," he told her.</p><p>"Well sure, your little polyamorous mystery squad will <em>travel </em>together," Maureen said, rolling her eyes. "But I'm sure that Fred and Daphne will pair up. So who's gonna be your date…the dog, or the dork?"</p><p>Shaggy blinked, still not getting it.</p><p>Maureen sighed. "Or, maybe Dinkley's secret admirer will show their face by then, and you won't have to worry about it."</p><p>Shaggy stared at her. "Wait a minute," he said, confused. "Like, how did you know about the secret admirer?"</p><p>Maureen grinned wickedly, apparently glad to have gotten Shaggy where she wanted him. "I overheard Dinkley talking to Moretti about it in the hallway just now. Apparently, he was one of your suspects?" An evil glint shone in her eye. "But he had a pretty interesting theory of his own."</p><p>"Like what are you talking about?" Shaggy whispered, afraid to hear the answer.</p><p>"He thinks it's <em>you," </em>Maureen replied, still with a nefarious smile playing at her lips. "But Dinkley shot that theory down, even though she said that apparently the two of you have been in a secret relationship since last year."</p><p>It felt as though all the blood in Shaggy's veins had frozen. His heart skipped a beat and the oxygen in the atmosphere seemed to have evaporated. This was nothing like when Julie had asked him about his relationship with Velma. This was much, much worse.</p><p>"Yeah, and then she said something about how you're worried about your dog finding out?" Maureen giggled. "To be fair, I completely understand. I wouldn't want anyone finding out about that either. It must be embarrassing to have to stoop so low for a date. Really scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?"</p><p>Shaggy was too astonished to even stand up for Velma. His throat had closed up with shock. Other than Scooby, Maureen was the <em>worst </em>person to learn about this.</p><p>Maureen kept grinning at him, mirth evident on her face. "Don't worry Rogers. Your secret is safe with me. For now." She glanced over at the trees, where Scooby was now emerging. "At least until spring break is over." With one more evil smile, Maureen turned and headed back for the school. "Anyway…just thought you ought to know."</p><p>Shaggy was still staring speechlessly after her when Scooby reappeared.</p><p>"Rut's rong, Raggy?" he asked.</p><p>Shaggy's voice hadn't yet returned to him. But the ice in his blood had melted, and he felt his body overtaken by a white-hot rage. <em>How </em>could Velma have been so careless? This wasn't even the first time it had happened – this was how Marcie had found out about them too. But this was so much worse than when Marcie learned their secret.</p><p>Now, Maureen Fischer knew about them.</p><p>Which meant it was only a matter of time before the whole school knew about them.</p><p>Shaggy let himself get worked up in art class. He sat stewing in his fury, allowing the anger he felt to consume him like a dark shadow. He remembered how it had been after Maureen had spread that rumor about Daphne and Fred two years ago. That had been bad enough, and it hadn't even been true. But this…this was going to ruin everything. Maureen would spread it around as soon as they were all back from break. Daphne and Fred were bound to hear whispers in the hallway, or else be asked point blank about it. And then they'd ask Shaggy and Velma, probably right in front of Scooby.</p><p>And then it would all be over.</p><p>As soon as the bell rang, Shaggy shot to his feet. "Scoob like, you go on out to the Mystery Machine," he muttered, making his way out of the classroom and down the stairs. "I'll meet you there."</p><p>"Reverything rokay?" asked Scooby concernedly. He had noticed Shaggy seething during class.</p><p>Shaggy gave a curt nod. "I'll like, see you in a bit."</p><p>Scooby confusedly headed towards the front door, but Shaggy raced off for the fine arts hallway. Velma had just exited the band room when Shaggy caught her.</p><p>"Can I talk to you?" he hissed.</p><p>Velma glanced up, startled. "Shaggy! Jinkies, you scared me." She glanced around him. "Where's Scooby?"</p><p>"I need to talk to you," Shaggy repeated.</p><p>Velma furrowed her brow at the intensity in his tone. "Why? What's going on?"</p><p>"Just…like come with me." Shaggy took Velma's wrist and led her across the hall to an empty practice room and shut the door behind them. Too late, he realized that it was the exact same practice room where they'd spent so many hours last year during the play, kissing and touching and embracing. It was where they'd first discovered the depth of their feelings for each other.</p><p>Velma noticed where they were too, and looked at Shaggy in confusion. "Shaggy, I have to go to my locker…"</p><p>"Did you talk to Tony Moretti about us today?" he asked bluntly. He heard the bite in his tone.</p><p>Velma heard it too, and shot him a withering look. "Yes. I asked him about the secret admirer notes, like you wanted, and he says they didn't come from him. He actually thought –"</p><p>"—that they were from me, right?" Shaggy interrupted.</p><p>Velma furrowed her brow. "How did you know that?"</p><p>"Because like <em>Maureen Fischer </em>told me," Shaggy said hotly. He was having a difficult time keeping his anger from leaking out, after letting it simmer inside him for the entirety of art class.</p><p>Velma still looked confused. "Maureen Fischer…? But how could she…"</p><p>Shaggy saw the moment of realization dawn on Velma's face as her mouth went slack and her eyes widened behind her glasses. "Oh no," she murmured in a small voice.</p><p>He wasn't sure why this reaction from her incensed him so much, but it did. The lid keeping his fury contained blew off, and he exploded with rage. "Yeah, like, 'oh no!'I can<em>not</em> believe you did this again!"</p><p>"Hey!" Velma's eyes flashed angrily towards him, all thoughts of apologies forgotten. "You can't blame me for this. The only reason I was even talking about us in the first place is because of <em>your </em>stupid and unfounded hunch!"</p><p>"What are we going to <em>do, </em>Velma?" Shaggy steamrolled on, tossing his hands in the air. "Maureen's like, gonna tell the whole school about us!"</p><p>"Well you know what, maybe it's better that way!" Velma barked. "Maybe now that it's finally out in the open we'll be able to stop sneaking around and actually <em>act </em>like a goddamn couple for once!"</p><p>"This is not how I wanted Scooby to find out!" Shaggy yelled.</p><p>Velma let out a noise that was simultaneously a groan and a shout. "All I hear about is Scooby!" she bellowed. "I am tired of tiptoeing around the feelings of that stupid dog!"</p><p>Heat blazed in Shaggy's vision. "Like you take that back," he snarled.</p><p>"No," Velma retorted, fire in her eyes. "I'm sick of playing second fiddle to a Great Dane. You've always cared more about his feelings than mine, don't deny it."</p><p>Shaggy was silent, just stared at her angrily.</p><p>Velma bristled, thinking back to what Marcie had asked last week at that party – <em>Are you going to ask him to choose? </em>– and perhaps the memory of that question caused her to say, "You have to decide, Shaggy. Which one of us is more important to you – me or Scooby?"</p><p>Shaggy felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. His anger ebbed ever so slightly, replaced by disbelief. What kind of question was <em>that? </em>Velma or Scooby? It was an impossible choice. He loved them both. He wasn't going to make a decision that cut one of them out of his life.</p><p>"Why would you ask me that?" he murmured. The pain the question had caused felt as though a searing knife had slashed him in the chest. "Scooby Doo is like, my best friend."</p><p>"I <em>know," </em>Velma exclaimed, fuming. "I <em>know </em>he's your best friend. But what about <em>me?</em> How do you feel about <em>me?"</em></p><p>Shaggy stared at her, heart pounding, throat tight. He could fix this, he knew he could. Right now, he could say the thing that would erase the need for a choice this agonizing.</p><p>
  <em>I love you, Velma. I'm in love with you.</em>
</p><p>But what he ended up saying was, "That isn't a fair comparison."</p><p>Velma scoffed. "Don't talk to me about <em>fair," </em>she told him through gritted teeth. "I've been making that comparison every single day for the past year and a half. But it's worse, because you've made me choose between Scooby and <em>myself</em>. And I chose him every time, because I thought by choosing him, I was choosing you. But I'm sick of not choosing myself. I can't do this anymore."</p><p>Wait. Wait.</p><p>"So like…what are you saying?" Shaggy murmured. She couldn't possibly mean what he thought she meant, could she? "Are you saying that like if I don't pick you, then…" He had to swallow a lump in his throat before he finished. "Then we're…then we're done?"</p><p>
  <em>Done.</em>
</p><p>The word was severe, harsh. Final.</p><p>The sharpness took Velma by surprise. Her eyes sparkled with tears, and her voice trembled with her response.</p><p>"I'm saying…are you going to choose a dumb dog over a real girl?" she whispered.</p><p>Shaggy felt anger rise up in him again. "Well like, a <em>dumb dog </em>would never ask me to make a choice like this," he retorted. He set his jaw and waited a beat. Finally… "So I guess I choose Scooby Doo."</p><p>It was like an invisible fist had punched Velma in the stomach. Tears slipped under the rims of her glasses before she could stop them.</p><p>It occurred to Shaggy, as he stood less than two feet away, that in all the years he'd known Velma, he'd never seen her cry before. He'd seen Daphne cry plenty of times, and he'd even seen Fred shed a few tears last year during the musical. But never Velma. Not till now.</p><p>When he was breaking her heart.</p><p><em>Well, </em>Shaggy thought bitterly. <em>She broke mine first.</em></p><p>If she really cared about him, she wouldn't have foisted this impossible choice upon him.</p><p>But she had.</p><p>So he'd chosen.</p><p>Velma hurriedly brushed the tears from her cheeks, trying to ignore the gaping wound opening up within her. She'd been right. He hadn't chosen her. It was so clear – there was no contest in his mind. Scooby would always come first. She never stood a chance.</p><p>"So..." she trailed off, trying to steady her voice and gulp back more stinging tears. "That's it?"</p><p>Shaggy exhaled. The knot in his chest threatened to strangle him.</p><p>"Yeah," he said quietly, blinking back tears of his own. "Like I guess that's it." He stared fixedly at a point on the wall so he wouldn't have to look at her.</p><p>Velma sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "The gang's probably waiting for us," she said, her voice still shaky.</p><p>Shaggy nodded and took a shuddering breath. <em>Keep it together. </em>"Yeah," he whispered. "We should like…go." He felt a tear leak out of the corner of his eye and rubbed it away.</p><p>He didn't want this.</p><p>She didn't want this.</p><p>So how had it come to this?</p><p>Anger and pride prevented them from apologies and declarations of love. And now, there was no going back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Truth Hurts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Here's chapter 12. Warnings: more language, more angst. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 12: Truth Hurts</strong>
</p><p>Velma left the practice room first, eyes stinging with more unshed tears. She forced them back into their ducts as she made her way to her locker. <em>I can't let Daphne and Fred see me like this, </em>was all she could think to herself. She couldn't let them know that anything was wrong. She had to get a hold of her emotions. She needed to seem apathetic. Detached. Even though it felt like her chest was ripping open and everything inside her was screaming in agony.</p><p>Back in the practice room, Shaggy could feel his heart pounding like a drum against his ribcage. His pulse reverberated through every muscle in his body, and it seemed so loud that he was sure other students could hear it out in the hallway as they walked past. He leaned against the concrete wall and tried to steady his breathing.</p><p>He couldn't believe it. Velma had broken up with him.</p><p>Or had he broken up with her?</p><p>Regardless, they had broken up.</p><p>They <em>were </em>broken up.</p><p><em>I have to go, </em>he realized. He couldn't stay in this room – he'd need to face the real world eventually – and besides, Scooby was almost certainly wondering where he was. With another shuddering breath, he wiped his eyes and steeled himself to leave the practice room.</p><p><em>Their </em>practice room.</p><p>The thought had been automatic. With a sharp gasp, Shaggy clutched his middle, as though physically trying to hold in his anguish. How cruel it was that their relationship had ended in the same place it had begun. He had always thought of this place as <em>theirs, </em>ever since last year<em>. </em>But now, there was no more <em>their </em>anything. They were no longer a <em>they. </em>It was him and her, separate, apart. And now it would be forever.</p><p>His chest seized up and his throat tightened, burning. <em>I can't stay in here, </em>he told himself, even as his heartbreak surged. <em>I need to leave this room.</em></p><p>But he allowed himself a short, muffled sob before swallowing and finally bracing himself towards the door.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>"Rut's rong?"</p><p>Of course, Scooby picked up on Shaggy's demeanor immediately. Shaggy had barely made it to the Mystery Machine before the dog noticed his red-rimmed eyes.</p><p>"Nothin, Scoob," Shaggy muttered, averting his gaze.</p><p>Daphne furrowed her brow in concern. "Something <em>is</em> wrong," she said. She had been standing beside Fred in front of the van, but now she approached Shaggy anxiously. "What's the matter?"</p><p>"Nothing. I'm like, fine," Shaggy responded, taking a step back from Daphne.</p><p>"Seriously Shag," Fred added. "You look like you've been cry—"</p><p>"I said I'm <em>fine, </em>Fred. Like Jesus, quit it with the third degree already." There was an edge in his tone that he couldn't help.</p><p>Fred's and Scooby's eyebrows both shot up and they glanced at each other.</p><p>Velma appeared then, looking stoic and impassive. Shaggy felt his stomach twist – he was so upset that he'd momentarily forgotten that he'd have to sit by her in the Mystery Machine. As quick as it had come, though, his anxiety dissipated and was replaced with outrage. How <em>dare </em>she look so aloof after what had just happened! Had their relationship meant <em>nothing </em>to her?</p><p>"Hey!" said Daphne, turning towards Velma. "Where were you after class? I waited outside the band room for you."</p><p>"I had to go to my locker," Velma replied stiffly. She looked at a point adjacent to Daphne's face, so she wouldn't have to make eye contact with anyone.</p><p>Scooby picked up on her tone and glanced between her and Shaggy. Something very strange was going on here.</p><p>Daphne sensed it, too. "Are you all right?" she asked, reaching to touch Velma's elbow comfortingly.</p><p>She yanked her arm away. "I'm fine," she said, still not looking anyone in the eye.</p><p>"Are you sure?" asked Fred.</p><p>"Enough with the Spanish Inquisition," Velma snapped, sliding into the Mystery Machine. "I'm ready to go home."</p><p>Shaggy opened the back door and plopped himself into the van, as far away from Velma as he could manage.</p><p>Fred, Daphne, and Scooby all shared significant glances.</p><p>"…What's going on?" asked Daphne.</p><p>"Nothing," Shaggy and Velma said in unison.</p><p>Scooby didn't comment, but continued to watch Shaggy closely. He and Velma were both hurting – Scooby could feel it in his bones. But how come they wouldn't tell the rest of the gang why?</p><p>The ride home was silent until Daphne spoke up, trying to ease the tension. "So Velma," she said. "Are you looking forward to Passover? When does your sister and her family arrive? It's been a while since you've seen Dottie, hasn't it?"</p><p>"I saw her at Hanukkah," Velma said with a shrug.</p><p>"Well, how about Lorelei?" Daphne pressed. Lorelei was Dottie's daughter, and Velma's niece. Daphne knew that Velma loved that kid. Talking about Lorelei was sure to animate Velma a little more. "She'll be two soon, right?"</p><p>"Not till the summer," Velma replied monotonously. "July."</p><p>"Jeepers," said Daphne, shaking her head in awe. "I remember when she was born – it seems like it was just yesterday."</p><p>"Yeah, well…" Velma cut her eyes at Shaggy. "A lot can happen in two years."</p><p>Shaggy glowered at her.</p><p>Scooby saw the dark look that passed between them and stared in confusion. What in the <em>world </em>was going on?</p><p>Daphne noticed it too and cleared her throat. "We should talk about the prom," she said after a few moments. Her voice sounded a little more upbeat than the situation called for. "It's in like two months! Velma, we should go shopping for dresses together. You want to?"</p><p>Of all the inane things. Velma couldn't help rolling her eyes, but she turned her head so Daphne didn't see. "I guess," she said, shrugging.</p><p>"Where should we go?"</p><p>As if Daphne didn't already have a long list of stores filed away in her brain. "It doesn't matter to me," Velma replied truthfully. "I don't really care, you should pick."</p><p>Shaggy snorted. "Like that sounds about right," he muttered waspishly.</p><p>"What was that?" Velma growled.</p><p>Shaggy gave a noncommittal shrug and finally looked her in the eye for the first time since the practice room. Here she was again, forcing choices onto other people because she didn't care. He was so angry at her, heat radiated out of his face and chest. "You heard me."</p><p>Velma scoffed. "Really? You want to lecture <em>me </em>about not caring? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."</p><p>"Like what's <em>that </em>supposed to mean?"</p><p>"Oh please, you know <em>exactly </em>what I'm talking ab—"</p><p>
  <em>SCREEEEEECH.</em>
</p><p>Fred slammed on the brakes and the Mystery Machine skidded to a sudden halt in the middle of the road.</p><p>"Freddie!" Daphne gasped, reaching for the safety bar above her window.</p><p>"Everybody out of the car," he barked.</p><p>"Wh – what?" Daphne looked back at Shaggy and Velma, who had frozen in alarm. Scooby glanced between all the humans uneasily.</p><p>Fred pulled over to the side of the road, parking near a large hill. "Everyone. Out. Of. The. Car," he repeated slowly through clenched teeth.</p><p>No one argued. All five of them left the Mystery Machine in a hurry and stood several feet apart from each other in a wide circle. Scooby was the last one out, still watching the others very carefully. As he scanned each of them, he realized that he recognized their surroundings. This hill was right in their neighborhood, just a few streets away from their house. They had come sledding here with the gang once, when he and Shaggy had first moved to Coolsville. It had been such a fun afternoon.</p><p>But there was no fun in the air now. Daphne watched Fred, worrisome, as he glared angrily at Shaggy and Velma, who had gone back to looking morose.</p><p>"Right," said Fred, pointing at them. "You two. What the <em>hell </em>is going on? You've been acting weird all day. You didn't talk at all on the way to school, <em>or </em>at lunch."</p><p>"Or in English," Daphne remembered.</p><p>"Ror Spanish," Scooby added.</p><p>"And that would all be fine, but now you guys are fighting, which…just isn't like you." Fred folded his arms. "So what's wrong?"</p><p>"Nothing," Shaggy and Velma muttered in unison.</p><p>"<em>Bullshit!" </em>spat Fred, causing the others to jump. "You're lying, both of you."</p><p>"Please," Daphne implored, eyes shining. "We just want to help."</p><p>Shaggy and Velma said nothing.</p><p>"Well?" prompted Fred, crossing his arms more tightly over his chest.</p><p>After a brief pause, Velma let out a sigh and turned slightly towards Shaggy. "We might as well tell them," she muttered.</p><p>Shaggy whirled to face her. "Don't you dare," he hissed.</p><p>Velma huffed exasperatedly. "What's the point of keeping it a secret any longer? It doesn't matter, we shouldn't have to keep lying about something that doesn't exist anymore."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" asked Fred.</p><p>"Velma, no!" Shaggy shouted.</p><p>But Velma had made up her mind.</p><p>"Shaggy and I broke up!" she exclaimed.</p><p>There was a very long silence.</p><p>Shaggy quietly groaned and hid his face in his hands.</p><p>Fred, Daphne, and Scooby stood stock still as they took in what Velma had just said.</p><p>Scooby finally broke the silence. "…Roke up?" he replied, sounding confused.</p><p>"Hold on…" Fred glanced between Shaggy and Velma. "You two…are dating?"</p><p>"Well, not anymore," Velma retorted. "In case you missed it when I said it the first time, we broke up." Maybe saying it over and over would deaden her to the searing pain in her heart.</p><p>Daphne couldn't speak as she glanced between Velma and Shaggy. She'd <em>known </em>there was something between them! But she'd asked Velma – more than once, more than ten times – if there was anything going on between her and Shaggy. And Velma had assured her that there was nothing. But that hadn't been true at all. Why had Velma been lying about this relationship? How long had it been going on? Since Shaggy got the tickets for the Hex Girls, like Daphne had originally thought? Or later?</p><p><em>Or…earlier?</em> Daphne suddenly remembered a conversation they'd had in the fall of eleventh grade.</p><p>"When did you start seeing each other?" Daphne whispered when she finally found her voice. She couldn't help the accusatory tone.</p><p>"Last year," Velma admitted. "Things started between us during rehearsals for <em>Next to Normal </em>but we didn't make anything official until the showclosed."</p><p>Daphne's whole head filled with an angry buzz.</p><p>"Wait…" She tried to get a handle on her emotions and glared at them both. "You're telling me…that you two have been dating…since <em>last fall?" </em>Daphne turned fully to Velma, red encroaching on the edges of her vision. "I asked you <em>point blank – </em>multiple times –if anything was going on between you and Shaggy, and you <em>lied to my face!"</em></p><p>"Don't blame me for that!" Velma shot back, her temper blazing as well.</p><p>But Daphne wasn't finished.</p><p>"Who else would I blame? Why wouldn't you just <em>tell </em>me? Either of you!" she cried. Hurt and betrayal at being lied to by her best friends tore open her chest, and she felt tears prick her eyes. She whirled towards Shaggy, who was still covering his face. "And you <em>are </em>the secret admirer, aren't you!"</p><p>"Like what are you talking about?" asked Shaggy, finally emerging from behind his hands.</p><p>"The notes in Velma's locker!" Daphne exclaimed. "Those are from you, right?"</p><p>"Wait, what?" Fred turned to look at Shaggy now. His head was still reeling from the revelation that his best friends had kept such a huge secret.</p><p>"Like no, those weren't from me," Shaggy told them. He'd caught sight of Scooby, but the dog was pointedly looking away from him, so Shaggy immediately turned back towards Daphne.</p><p>"That's what Tony thought too," Velma muttered. "But God forbid Shaggy actually admits even on paper that there was something between us."</p><p>"Hang on," said Fred, staring at them. "Tony knew about you guys?"</p><p>"You told him, but not us?" Daphne added, flaring up even more.</p><p>"He found out on accident," Velma told her. "We swore him to secrecy."</p><p>"Which he did like, a lot better than <em>you</em>," Shaggy grumbled at her.</p><p>"Oh, you don't think I can keep a secret?" Velma shouted, whirling to face him. "I've kept things from you too, you know!" She turned back to Fred, Daphne, and Scooby, who all still looked hurt. "I've kept every one of your secrets for the fear of what they'd do to your other relationships, while you never <em>once </em>asked yourselves what it would do to <em>me. </em>So yes, I kept my relationship with Shaggy a secret so it wouldn't hurt Scooby, and I kept Daphne's NYU audition a secret so it wouldn't hurt Fred, but I am <em>tired </em>of it. I can't keep doing this anymore."</p><p>Daphne felt her hands go numb as she turned to glance at Fred. He was staring at her, aghast.</p><p>"Your NYU audition?" he asked confusedly.</p><p>"You like, got an audition at NYU?" Shaggy repeated.</p><p>"And you didn't…tell us?" Fred whispered, his blue eyes wide and soulful.</p><p>The previously unshed tears spilled down Daphne's cheeks. "Fred," she murmured. "I didn't want you to get the wrong idea."</p><p>"What's the wrong idea?" asked Fred. "That you want to go to NYU more than Coolsville?" He was staring at Daphne, so she saw when the understanding alighted in his eyes. "But…that <em>is</em> what you want, isn't it?"</p><p>She thought for a fraction of a second about lying, about telling him what he wanted to hear. But she couldn't deny this anymore. "Yes," Daphne admitted, more tears slipping.</p><p>Fred felt his chest constrict. "So…" he began. His throat closed up, and he swallowed before continuing. "So that night at Tony's party…when you…when we…" He didn't finish his sentence, but he continued to gaze at her. "Is that why...?"</p><p>Daphne understood his meaning and immediately shook her head. "No Fred," she replied, more tears splashing down her cheeks. "No I swear that wasn't why. I was just drunk and I was scared and I wanted…" <em>I wanted you, </em>she tried to say, but couldn't make her voice form the words, not with Shaggy, Velma, and Scooby right there.</p><p>"You wanted to give me something to…remember you by…before you left?"</p><p>"No!" Daphne cried, furiously wiping away tears. "If you'd just listen…"</p><p>"How can I listen when you don't <em>tell me </em>anything?" Fred pointed out. He sounded so upset that Daphne could hardly bear it. "You didn't say anything about how you would rather go to NYU, you didn't say anything about having sex the night of that party…how am I supposed to know what you want? I'm not a mind-reader, Daphne!"</p><p>Velma had once said those very words, and for some reason this infuriated Daphne. She spun back around to face her. "This is all <em>your </em>fault," she spat, more angry tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.</p><p>"How is <em>any </em>of this my fault?!" Velma shouted. "I didn't <em>ask </em>for you to tell me all your secrets. The only reason I kept them in the first place was because you thought that they would make everyone else mad!"</p><p>"Rye am mad," Scooby muttered, speaking for the first time in several minutes.</p><p>"I'm mad too," Fred added as he felt his own eyes well up with hurt tears. That his own girlfriend would lie to him by omission like this…he had never felt so betrayed.</p><p>"So am I," Shaggy said, scowling at Velma. Scooby was his best friend in the world – he'd never wanted to hurt him. But now Scooby wouldn't even look at him.</p><p>"Me too," Daphne sniffed, trying and failing to stem the steady flow of tears.</p><p>Everyone glared at each other.</p><p>"Well," Velma began. She felt the unwelcome prickle of tears behind her eyes, but continued shakily. "Since we're all clearly abysmal at communicating…and since we've all lied to each other…and since now we all hate each other…I suppose it begs the question about whether..." She broke off, unsure if she even wanted to put this idea into the ether.</p><p>"Whether what?" Shaggy asked sharply.</p><p>Velma cut her eyes at him. "Whether we should even be friends? Because if we keep going like this, we're going to end up worse than Julie and Leon. Maybe it would be better if we just…weren't friends anymore."</p><p>No one said anything for several moments as Velma wrestled with this realization. She wasn't usually one to submit to fits of passion like this – she was more likely to think through the consequences of different scenarios before making a decision. But she was so angry, and so hurt. Her brain was having trouble keeping up with her heart.</p><p>"I mean think about it," she murmured tremulously. "Why are we even friends in the first place? We come from completely different worlds. I mean…all of you? And me? It doesn't make any logical sense. It shouldn't work. Maybe it never did, and I'm only now realizing it. Maybe my friendships with you – all of them – have run their course. I think…"</p><p>There was another pause as everyone stared at her.</p><p>Then, in a very small voice, Velma said, "I think I quit."</p><p>"What?" said Fred in a low, astonished tone.</p><p>"I quit the gang," Velma replied, trying to keep her voice steady.</p><p>"You can't quit!" Daphne exclaimed, as more angry tears sprung to her eyes.</p><p>"Well that's funny, cuz I think I just did," Velma snarled.</p><p>Daphne stared at Velma, shaking with fury. She couldn't believe what was happening. First Velma had told Fred about Daphne's huge secret, and now she was trying to leave the gang so she wouldn't have to deal with the fallout? "Maybe you're right," she murmured, her voice quivering with emotion. "Maybe we shouldn't be friends. Maybe we should all quit the gang."</p><p>Shaggy hadn't said anything this whole time, but after Daphne's declaration, it was as though an icy hand had gripped his stomach and squeezed. He chanced a wary glimpse in Scooby's direction, but the dog still refused to look at him. Anger roiled in Shaggy's chest, and he turned to Fred.</p><p>"Like what do you say, Freddie?" he muttered.</p><p>Fred hadn't spoken in a while either, but hearing first Velma and then Daphne voice their antipathy for keeping the gang together had wounded him in a way he hadn't thought was possible. He was already feeling betrayed by Daphne's dishonesty – but this was too much.</p><p>"I guess...we should split up," mumbled Fred. "For good."</p><p>The silence that followed was eternal, and somehow deafening. The five of them stood there, glaring at each other in animosity and disbelief. Their fearless leader had disbanded them. There was no more Mystery Incorporated.</p><p>Again, as she had in the practice room, Velma was the first to go. Turning quickly so no one would see the tears that had finally fallen, she hoisted her book bag over her shoulder and began her trek home.</p><p>One by one, the others followed. Scooby sprinted away next, bee lining for the house. Shaggy let him get a head start – he couldn't face him just yet. He trudged home slowly, reeling with shock.</p><p>Then it was just Daphne and Fred.</p><p>"Freddie…" she started, turning towards him.</p><p>But he held up a hand. "You lied to me, Daphne," he murmured. "Why wouldn't you just…tell me about your audition?"</p><p>"I was going to," Daphne insisted. "I swear, I was."</p><p>"When?" asked Fred. "After it was already over?"</p><p>Daphne didn't answer directly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears again. "I didn't want to hurt you."</p><p>"But you <em>did," </em>Fred told her. "The minute you decided to lie. That hurt me worse than anything else you could have said."</p><p>"Really?" Daphne snapped. She felt guilty and miserable, but those emotions were manifesting as anger. "Even worse than if I'd told you that I wanted to go to college five-hundred miles away from you?"</p><p>"At least it would have been honest," Fred replied coldly. "I would have been upset, sure, but I would have gotten over it. But instead…you lied. And if I can't trust you, then…" He hesitated, seemingly grappling with a decision. He took a deep, shaky breath. "Then I don't think we can get past this," he whispered.</p><p>Daphne's chest froze.</p><p>No.</p><p>No.</p><p>This couldn't be happening.</p><p>"Fred…"</p><p>"It's over, Daphne. I'm sorry." His voice was a whisper.</p><p>"Freddie, wait!"</p><p>But he turned away from her, stumbling back to the Mystery Machine and shutting the driver's side door forcefully behind him. And then he sped away, his face red and tear-streaked.</p><p>Daphne watched him go, the breeze lightly tossing her hair. She stared after the Mystery Machine in disbelief. Every single horrible thing that had ever happened to her could not compare to the heartbreak she felt right now, as the Mystery Machine receded into the distance. Everything inside her was breaking, tearing, destroying itself. The pain of it was physical, as though she could feel each splinter of her heart as it split into thousands of pieces. Her whole world had just ended, and there was absolutely nothing she could do.</p><p>Not even bothering to try to hold in her tears now, Daphne sank to her knees right there on the side of the road, buried her face in her hands, and sobbed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Everything Has Changed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back! Enjoy chapter 13! Warnings: language, underage drinking, and so, so very much angst. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera. All lyrics to the song "What I Did For Love" belong to Edward Kleban.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 13: Everything Has Changed</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Friday, March 26</em>
  <em>th</em>
  <em>, 6:30pm – three and a half hours after The Fight</em>
</p><p>Scooby didn't speak to Shaggy at all that evening – not that Shaggy really attempted conversation himself. He poked at his food during dinner, making eye contact with neither Scooby nor his parents, even though he swore up and down that nothing was wrong when pressed.</p><p>"Norville, you're not eating," his mother pointed out, peering at him anxiously. "That's not like you."</p><p>"Are you sure you're okay, son?" asked his father, his voice betraying his obvious worry.</p><p>"Like I'm fine," Shaggy muttered through gritted teeth, pushing his chair back and standing up. "In fact I'm like, gonna go finish this in my room." He snatched his plate off the table and stalked out of the kitchen, watched all the while by his parents and Scooby.</p><p>When Shaggy had disappeared from view, Mrs. Rogers turned to the dog. "Do you know what's bothering him?"</p><p>Scooby hesitated. Even if he was mad, he was loyal to Shaggy before anyone else. If Shaggy didn't want his parents to know that the gang had split up, Scooby wasn't about to tell them. Plus, the idea of saying it aloud – <em>"the gang split up" – </em>made Scooby's whole body throb with an almost physical pain. On the other hand, he really hated lying to Shaggy's parents. He hated lying in general.</p><p>"Rye rink so," he admitted after a time. "But…re'll be rokay."</p><p>The Rogers' studied him as if gauging his honesty.</p><p>"Rye romise," Scooby told them with as much sincerity as he could muster.</p><p>But he wasn't certain. He wasn't certain at all that Shaggy would be okay. Scooby wasn't even sure that <em>he </em>would be okay. After one last attempt at a reassuring look back at the Rogers', Scooby padded out of the kitchen and followed Shaggy upstairs. He had planned on giving Shaggy the silent treatment for the remainder of the evening, but Shaggy's behavior caused Scooby to abandon that idea. He was worried.</p><p>As he climbed the stairs, the air hung with a heaviness that only Scooby, being a dog, could sense. He noticed that Shaggy's bedroom door was closed, which didn't bode well for Scooby's entrance. Regardless, he paused outside the door for a beat before speaking.</p><p>"Raggy?" he called tentatively. "Rit's me."</p><p>There was a long pause. Scooby wondered briefly if Shaggy was going to ignore him. But several moments later, the door finally opened and Shaggy stood in the threshold. He jerked his head, indicating that Scooby should enter. Scooby did, regarding Shaggy carefully. He wasn't making eye contact with Scooby – instead, he stared straight ahead, blinking frequently and taking long, measured swallows in the manner of someone who was doing everything in his power not to cry. Shaggy walked back over to the bed and sat down on it, his untouched dinner sitting on the night table. Scooby followed cautiously.</p><p>"Are roo rokay?" he asked softly, sitting on the floor beside Shaggy's leg.</p><p>"Like yeah," Shaggy mumbled, but a tear dripped from his eye before he could stop it. Hurriedly, he wiped it away, but Scooby had already seen. Not knowing what else to do, he lay his head down on Shaggy's knee.</p><p>"Rye'm rorry, Raggy," Scooby said. He wasn't sure what he was apologizing for – his refusal to talk to Shaggy that evening, the split with the gang, or simply the fact that Shaggy was hurting so much. Regardless, he felt the need to apologize. To make every negative feeling that Shaggy felt go away. Maybe it would help Scooby stop feeling so sad as well. "Rye'm so rorry."</p><p>Shaggy took one quick intake of breath before the dam broke. He slid off his bed and sank to the floor, pulling his knees into his chest and burying his head in his arms.</p><p>Scooby stared at him in stunned silence for half a second as Shaggy's whole body shook with muffled sobs. It broke Scooby's heart to watch. Automatically, he laid his head on Shaggy's shoulder in an effort to bestow some comfort on him. Shaggy threw his arms around the dog and wept into his fur, clinging to him as though he were drowning. Scooby let him, feeling his own eyes fill with tears. They stayed like that for a long time until Shaggy cried himself out.</p><p>"I'm sorry too, Scoob," he said thickly, after the majority of the tears had run their course. "I should have like, never started anything up with Vel – " Shaggy's breath hitched, unable to say her name. Scooby waited several long seconds for Shaggy to go on. Finally, he swallowed. "Look what she did to us," he seethed, his voice barely more than a fierce whisper. "She did this. She caused us to fight. She like, broke up the gang. This is her fault."</p><p>Scooby hesitated, unsure of what to say.</p><p>"But it doesn't matter," Shaggy continued in a low voice. "Who cares about the gang? Who cares about Fred and Daphne and…" Again, Shaggy trailed off and furiously rubbed his swollen eyes. "It's just you and me now," he murmured hoarsely. "Like, no more Mystery Incorporated. You're the only friend I need."</p><p>Scooby just gazed at him sadly.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>
  <em>Monday, March 29</em>
  <em>th</em>
  <em>, 4:15 pm – three days after The Fight</em>
</p><p>"So…the gang really split up, huh?"</p><p>Daphne sniffed, and nodded silently. She was in the lobby of an academic building at NYU, waiting for her name to be called for her audition time. Holden sat beside her, gazing at her with sympathy, and waited for her to answer his question.</p><p>"It was just…so sudden," Daphne told him tremulously. She'd spent the entire weekend crying, eating ice cream, listening to break-up playlists on Spotify, screaming into her pillow, and crying again. Lather, rinse, repeat. She thought she'd be out of tears by today, but it seemed she had an endless supply. She brushed a stray one off her cheek – she didn't want to go into the audition in tears. "I can't believe it. And now, Fred…" Daphne bit her lip and stopped talking. She didn't want to think about Fred. It was too painful, especially considering that she knew she could have avoided all of this heartache if she'd just told him about her audition in the first place. Maybe he even would have come with her, and it would have been <em>him </em>sitting in the chair next to her instead of Holden. Daphne breathed shallowly, trying not to think about it.</p><p>Holden sighed, and guessed correctly that he should change the topic away from Fred. "I always thought there was something going on between Shaggy and Velma," he mused. "I mean, last year during the musical…all that time they spent in the practice room before and after rehearsal, 'working on their chemistry?' I called it, didn't I?"</p><p>"You were right," Daphne told him with a sigh. She'd been thinking about that a lot, feeling stupid not to have realized it sooner.</p><p>"Blake?" came a voice from a door across the hall which had opened suddenly. "We're ready for you."</p><p>Daphne rose from her seat, and Holden did too.</p><p>"You ready?" he asked.</p><p>"As I'll ever be," she replied.</p><p>"You got your resumes? Headshots? Sheet music?"</p><p>Daphne nodded and indicated the folder that she held in one hand. "Everything's in here," she told him.</p><p>Holden looked at her seriously. "Are you gonna be okay?"</p><p>Daphne took a deep breath and composed herself. "I'll be fine." For now, anyway. She wasn't sure about the future.</p><p>Holden nodded. "You'll do <em>great," </em>he told her. "Break a leg."</p><p>Inside the room, three professors sat behind a long table, while a fourth sat at a piano.</p><p>"Good afternoon," said the woman professor. "Daphne Blake?"</p><p>"Yes ma'am," Daphne replied. "Pleased to meet you."</p><p>"The pleasure is ours, dear," said the woman. "I'm Professor Dillard, one of the drama professors for the Tisch School of the Arts here at NYU. These are my colleagues Dr. Pike and Dr. Ruhland. At the piano is Dr. Carver, one of our music professors."</p><p>Daphne politely nodded hello and handed Dr. Carver her sheet music.</p><p>"Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself before we get started?" asked Dr. Pike. "Where you're from, how long you've been performing, what roles you've had?"</p><p>"Of course," Daphne replied, approaching the table to hand out copies of her resume. "I'm from Coolsville, Ohio. I've lived there my whole life." She felt a slight stab of pain in her chest. Fred and Velma had lived in Coolsville all their lives, too, but it wasn't until Shaggy and Scooby had moved to town in tenth grade that they'd all become friends. They may never have even become friends at all otherwise. Perhaps, as Velma had said, it would have been better that way.</p><p>Daphne swallowed a lump in her throat and tried to ignore the ache in her chest. "From kindergarten till ninth grade I did theater camp every summer, and I've had starring roles in three of my high school's productions."</p><p>"Keith Atwood is your acting instructor at school, correct?" asked Professor Dillard. "We went to Elon University together. He's very good – and he told me that you're quite talented yourself."</p><p>"Your resume is indeed impressive," said Dr. Ruhland as he studied the paper in his hands. "Cinderella in <em>Into the Woods, </em>Diana in <em>Next to Normal, </em>and Eliza Doolittle in <em>My Fair Lady </em>all at your age? Those parts can be tricky."</p><p>Daphne shrugged modestly. "Like I said, I've been doing this for most of my life." She wished he hadn't brought up <em>Next to Normal, </em>which she'd been in with the rest of the gang. Thinking about that show was agonizing now. Even thinking about <em>My Fair Lady, </em>which she'd starred in this past fall, was painful – the whole gang had come to see her in it, and she remembered how Fred had gazed at her onstage with pride and admiration and love. She shoved the thoughts out of her mind.</p><p>"Well, we're eager to hear what you've prepared for us," said Dr. Pike. "Whenever you're ready."</p><p>Daphne cleared her throat and stood with her back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, to give her slate.</p><p>"Good afternoon," she said. "My name is Daphne Blake, and I'll be singing 'What I Did for Love' from the musical <em>A Chorus Line."</em></p><p>This song was very good for Daphne's voice. It was right in her range, and she'd used it at auditions in the past. But as Dr. Carver played the opening notes, Daphne realized that in the wake of her breakup with the gang – and Fred – the lyrics would take on a completely different meaning.</p><p>"<em>Kiss today goodbye," </em>she began, her voice steady and smooth.</p><p>"<em>The sweetness and the sorrow.</em></p><p>
  <em>Wish me luck, the same to you."</em>
</p><p>She took a deep breath, trying to stay focused.</p><p>"<em>But I can't regret what I did for love,</em></p><p>
  <em>What I did for love.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Look, my eyes are dry."</em>
</p><p>This was true, even as memories of her time with Fred and the gang flashed through her mind:</p><p>Velma examining a counterfeit twenty under a microscope in the biology lab.</p><p>Shaggy and Scooby waving their arms to distract a villain.</p><p>Fred's eyes shining as he rigged up a trap in the trees.</p><p>"<em>The gift was ours to borrow."</em></p><p>Fred catching her as she slipped on ice and fell backwards into his strong arms.</p><p>"<em>It's as if we always knew."</em></p><p>Fred hovering over her after they'd tumbled off a sled together, his face inches from hers.</p><p>Daphne closed her eyes to block out the memories.</p><p>"<em>And I won't forget what I did for love,</em></p><p>
  <em>What I did for love."</em>
</p><p>Her voice was strong, even though her heart ached so much that it resonated throughout her entire body.</p><p>"<em>Gone</em></p><p>
  <em>Love is never gone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As we travel on</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love's what we'll remember."</em>
</p><p>The memories kept coming.</p><p>Fred kissing her hungrily in Brandon Michaels' guest room, his tongue tasting of alcohol.</p><p>Fred holding her close on the back patio of his house, in the midst of much gentler kiss.</p><p>Fred's mouth on her collarbone as his strong, rough hands caressed every inch of her nearly naked body.</p><p>"<em>Kiss today goodbye</em></p><p>
  <em>And point me towards tomorrow."</em>
</p><p>Fred taking her hand as they ran for their lives from a monster.</p><p>Fred laughing with her as they accidentally got caught in one of his traps.</p><p>"<em>We did what we had to do."</em></p><p>Fred embracing her after she'd been rescued from a ghost.</p><p>Fred whispering words of love in her ear.</p><p>Fred…</p><p>Fred…</p><p>Fred…</p><p>Daphne felt her eyes swimming behind her closed lids.</p><p>"<em>Won't forget, can't regret</em></p><p>
  <em>What I did for love.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What I did for love.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What I did for love."</em>
</p><p>As she sang the final line, a lone tear trickled down her cheek. She brushed it away, hoping that none of the professors had noticed. When she opened her eyes, they were all nodding approvingly.</p><p>"Very nice, thank you," said Professor Dillard. "Well done. You'll be hearing from us within the week."</p><p>Daphne nodded. "Thank you," she said softly. And with that, she left the way she'd come, finally letting her tears fall freely.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>
  <em>Friday, April 2</em>
  <em>nd</em>
  <em>, 10:45pm – one week after The Fight</em>
</p><p>Fred didn't have a great time at the trap expo. Even as he wandered the exhibits and marveled at the impressive displays, he kept forgetting the gang wasn't there with him. Everything he saw was just a reminder of what he no longer had. Without mysteries, without the gang – without Daphne – who was he? He had never felt more lost.</p><p>He considered calling them. Apologizing.</p><p>But what did he have to apologize for? <em>They </em>were the ones who'd lied. <em>They </em>were the ones who'd wanted to quit. <em>They </em>were the ones who'd left him. Abandoned him.</p><p>Just like his mom.</p><p>Breaking up with Daphne though – that had been his fault entirely, and he regretted the rash decision about ten minutes after he'd made it. He could have contacted her, he supposed. But would she even want him back? He couldn't imagine her ever wanting to forgive him, and he only had himself to blame.</p><p>He had spent the entirety of spring break stewing in his fury and pain. His father noticed, but Fred couldn't bring himself to tell him what was wrong. He almost hoped that if he ignored the situation, it would resolve itself, even though he knew that was impossible. He dreaded going back to school.</p><p>Perhaps this was why, on Friday night, after the trap expo, he forwent bowling with his father and instead found himself at a party.</p><p>There had been parties thrown every night of break, different people hosting each time. Fred knew this because his Instagram stories were always full of videos of his classmates taking shots, playing flip cup, hoisting cans of beer into the air and toasting each other loudly. If you asked Fred, he wouldn't have been able to tell you exactly <em>why </em>he had decided to go to the party on Friday – especially since it was at Brandon Michaels' house, where the first party the gang attended together had been…and the first place Fred had ever kissed Daphne.</p><p>But by going without the gang, without Daphne, maybe Fred hoped to desensitize himself to the painful memories.</p><p>He turned up alone a few hours after the party had already begun and forced himself to walk through the house. <em>This room, </em>he thought as he glided through the den, <em>was where Velma and I played Kings together. </em>There was no game going on now, but groups talked and laughed loudly together while a few couples sat around making out on the couches. Fred turned away.</p><p>He arrived in the dining room. <em>This is where I found Daphne playing beer pong with her old friends. </em>He remembered that discovery so vividly – the way his body had tensed and his blood had boiled as he saw her lining up a shot while Red Herring, her game partner and ex-boyfriend, watched her hungrily. Now that they had broken up, would Red try to get back with Daphne? Fred seethed at the thought.</p><p>Red was here tonight, playing beer pong again, this time with Phoebe Albion as his partner while Brandon Michaels and Rachael Amora played on the opposite team. Maureen Fischer watched from the sidelines, a solo cup clenched in her manicured hands. Fred left the room before any of them noticed him. He passed by the stairs that led to the second floor and gazed at them a little wistfully. <em>That's where Daphne and I kissed for the first time.</em></p><p>"Jonesy?"</p><p>Fred turned at the familiar voice. Tony Moretti stood nearby, holding a solo cup and wearing an excited expression. "Whoa! I didn't think I'd see you here." Fred could tell Tony had been drinking – he was swaying slightly, and his New York accent was particularly strong. Tony grinned broadly and glanced around. "Where's the rest of the gang?"</p><p>Fred swallowed a few times before attempting to answer. "They're um…not here," he said quietly. Or, as quietly as he could, with the music as loud as it was.</p><p>"Are they coming later?" asked Tony. "I'd love a rematch with Rogers and Scooby at pong."</p><p>Why did hearing Shaggy's and Scooby's names make his throat seize up? Fred's stomach clenched painfully. "No," he murmured. "They're not coming."</p><p>Finally, Tony noticed Fred's gloomy tone and looked at him seriously. "Are you all right?"</p><p>Fred shook his head infinitesimally, determined not to break down.</p><p>"Come with me," Tony said, clapping Fred once on the shoulder and leading him through the party and out into the backyard. There were a few students out here, drinking and playing cornhole, but it was infinitely less crowded than inside, and it was much quieter out here. There was a small cushioned patio bench on the back deck, and Tony sat down on it. He gestured with his head, indicating that Fred should sit too. He did so, reluctantly.</p><p>"What's goin on?" asked Tony in a low voice. "Why did you come to this party without the gang?"</p><p>Fred paused, unsure of what to tell him. <em>He</em> wasn't even sure why he'd come to this party. But he did know why the gang wasn't with him, so he decided to tell Tony. He'd find out soon enough anyway. "There…there is no gang," he murmured. "Not anymore." Saying it out loud made his shoulders sag under an invisible, impossible weight.</p><p>But Tony just stared at him, uncomprehendingly. "What are you talking about?" he asked.</p><p>Fred took another deep breath, trying to ignore the painful wrenching in his chest. "We…we split up."</p><p>Tony stared at Fred in shock. "You mean…you and Blake?" His voice was full of dismay.</p><p>Fred closed his eyes in a resolute attempt to remain stoic. "Everyone. The whole gang. Mystery Incorporated…it doesn't exist anymore."</p><p>Tony's jaw dropped and he brought a hand to his stomach. "What are you talking about?" he said again, quieter.</p><p>Fred took a deep breath and told him the whole story. All the secrets – Shaggy and Velma's relationship, Daphne's NYU audition – and how they had all come out in one horrible fight that culminated with the ending of the most important relationships that Fred had ever known.</p><p>"I haven't seen or talked to them all break," Fred finished. "I just…we're too angry at each other."</p><p>Tony was still staring at Fred, stricken. "Holy shit," he murmured at last.</p><p>"Yeah," Fred replied quietly.</p><p>They sat in silence for a few more moments until Tony cleared his throat.</p><p>"I'm sorry about you and Blake," he said finally. Sympathy shone through his eyes. "I always thought you two would make it."</p><p>Fred closed his eyes. "So did I," he replied, mortified that his voice trembled as he said it.</p><p>Tony noticed too, and to save Fred from potential embarrassment, hurriedly tried to change the subject. "Why did Dinks and Rogers break up? Did they say? That sounds like…you know, the catalyst for the rest of it."</p><p>Fred shrugged. "I don't know." He glanced sideways at Tony. "They said that you knew about their relationship, though."</p><p>Tony sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry Jonesy," he said, full of remorse. "They made me promise to keep it a secret. Fleachy and I were the only ones that knew."</p><p>"Hold on. <em>Hot Dog Water </em>knew about them too?" Fred was too upset to even realize that he'd used Marcie's old nickname.</p><p>"We both found out about them accidentally," Tony told him. "They asked us not to say anything to anyone else till Rogers told Scoob." Tony sighed. "I knew them keeping a secret like this would spell disaster."</p><p>"Freddie!"</p><p>The new voice startled Fred and Tony, and they turned to see Maureen Fischer flying towards them. She sat down on Fred's other side and sidled up close to him, still holding her solo cup. "I can't believe you came to this party. It's been <em>ages </em>since I've seen you at one." She glanced around. "Where's the rest of your mystery squad?"</p><p>"Fischer," said Tony warningly, but she paid him no attention.</p><p>"It's weird that Daphne Blake's not here, attached to your hip," she continued, her words slurring slightly. She raised a conspiratorial eyebrow. "Is she getting the guest room ready for you two?"</p><p>"Fischer!" said Tony again, more forcefully this time. Now she glanced at him, as though he was something slightly unpleasant that she'd stepped in.</p><p>"What, Moretti?"</p><p>"Just…cut it out, okay?" Tony looked at Fred out of the corner of his eye.</p><p>But Fred shook his head. "It's fine," he said. "People are going to find out eventually."</p><p>"Find out what?" Maureen looked intrigued, despite her drunkenness.</p><p>"Daphne and I broke up," Fred told her in a monotone. "The whole gang did."</p><p>It felt as though his heart broke all over again as he said it.</p><p>Maureen stared at him, delightfully incredulous. "Are you fucking serious?"</p><p>"Fischer…" said Tony for a third time, but Fred just sighed.</p><p>"Yeah," he admitted. "The gang…everyone…split up."</p><p>Maureen shook her head in joyful disbelief. "Holy shit," she crowed. She leapt up from the bench and sprinted back into the house.</p><p>"You know she's about to go tell the whole party, right?" Tony said to Fred once she'd gone.</p><p>"Good," Fred replied darkly. "That means I won't have to."</p><p>Tony sighed. "You gonna be okay, man?"</p><p>Fred hesitated. "I don't know," he answered truthfully.</p><p>"You wanna stay?"</p><p>"Yeah," Fred replied with a reluctant nod. He didn't really want to stay, but he didn't want to go home and be alone with his thoughts either.</p><p>Tony stood up and clapped Fred on the shoulder. "Then you need a drink," he proclaimed.</p><p>"I need several drinks," Fred agreed, also rising. He followed Tony back into the house.</p><p>By the time he'd finished his first beer, the whole party knew.</p><p>Mystery Incorporated was dead.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>
  <em>Sunday, April 4th – nine days after The Fight</em>
</p><p>For the first time in her life, Velma seriously considered skipping school on Monday.</p><p>Having Dottie, Bill, and Lorelei around all week had been a good distraction – with so many people in the house, there hadn't been a whole lot of time or quiet to reflect on everything that had happened before break. But now they were back in Seattle, and the reality of life had caught up with Velma. Every horrible thing she'd said, every secret she'd spilled – the memories encroached upon her, compressing her heart with shame and regret. She hadn't meant to make everyone so angry. She hadn't meant for the whole gang to fall apart.</p><p>But she did.</p><p>And it had.</p><p>And now she was paying for it.</p><p>The night before classes started again, Velma sat on her bed staring at the wall. She purposefully looked away from the bulletin board over her desk – seeing Shaggy's drawing of her was too painful. And yet, she found that she couldn't bring herself to take it down. She wondered how he'd get to school in the morning. He didn't have a car of his own, so he'd probably take the bus. Which would mean that Velma couldn't take the bus. It would be bad enough seeing him in the classes they shared. She didn't think she could handle a whole bus ride with him as well. So that begged the question…how would<em> Velma</em> get to school in the morning? It would be too suspicious if she asked one of her parents to drop her off. She hadn't told them, or anyone else, about The Fight, and she didn't think she wanted them to know. So she couldn't catch a ride with either of them. Walking was out of the question.</p><p>Velma glanced at her phone, which she held in her hand. There was maybe one person who could help.</p><p>She dialed.</p><p>The phone rang once. Twice.</p><p>"Hello?"</p><p>Velma breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't even realized she'd been holding in. "Hey, Marce," she said. "It's Velma."</p><p>"I know," Marcie replied. Velma could hear a hint of a smile in her voice. "I do have your number saved. How was your break?"</p><p>"Um, listen…" Velma bit her lip, ignoring the question. "Do you think you could do me a favor?"</p><p>"What do you need?" Marcie asked.</p><p>Inexplicably, Velma felt her eyes fill with tears. "I need a ride to school in the morning."</p><p>"I can drive you, no problem," said Marcie. "Is Fred out sick? Should I pick up Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby too?"</p><p>Hearing all their names at once was too much for Velma. To her utter horror, she burst into tears.</p><p>"Velma!" Marcie's voice sounded startled through the phone. "Velma, what's wrong?"</p><p>Velma took a shuddering breath and tried to regain control. "The gang split up," she wept, unable to help the sob that accompanied the words.</p><p>There was silence from the other end of the phone. Then Marcie, sounding shocked, replied, "The whole gang?"</p><p>Velma nodded miserably, even though she knew Marcie couldn't see. "We had a huge fight on the last day of school before break," she told her. "It was my fault, it was all my fault. Shaggy and I broke up, and…" Velma trailed off, anguished. She couldn't even admit to Marcie that Shaggy had chosen Scooby over her. "…and I was so mad that I told everyone, and then Daphne and Fred were mad that we'd kept our relationship a secret, and then I told them all about Daphne's secret NYU audition, which…I shouldn't have done that, I was just so angry and upset, so I took it out on her. And then everyone was angry and upset and…and then I quit. And then everyone else quit, too."</p><p>There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. After several moments, Marcie said quietly, "V, I'm so sorry. Do you think you'll make up?"</p><p>"I don't think so," Velma sighed, removing her glasses. Her tears were fogging them up. "We've had all week to do it, and no one's extended an olive branch." She wiped her freckled cheeks and put her glasses back on.</p><p>Marcie made a <em>hmm</em> sound on the other end of the phone. "So…you'll need a ride to and from school for the foreseeable future then?"</p><p>"I'm sorry to put you out like this," Velma replied.</p><p>"You're not putting me out," Marcie insisted. "You're my friend, V. And friends help each other."</p><p>Velma closed her eyes in an attempt to keep more tears at bay. It wasn't the same as the gang, but it felt good to have Marcie in her corner.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>
  <em>The days that followed after The Fight</em>
</p><p>That first day back was hell for everyone in the former Mystery Incorporated. None of them so much as made eye contact with each other in homeroom, and they ignored each other in the other classes they shared. They didn't sit together at lunch or in study hall. All five of them were miserable. And yet, it seemed that everyone was talking about them.</p><p>The news that Fred Jones and Daphne Blake were no longer dating had completely eclipsed the gossip that Shaggy and Velma had been in a secret relationship. Granted, Fred and Daphne were more popular, so they'd always been guaranteed to garner more attention. Even so, the others had felt astonished to hear that they'd broken up – even after the gang had split, they figured that Daphne and Fred were untouchable. But no, they all returned to school the Monday after spring break to find that the Golden Couple of the senior class had broken up. Had it really only been a month since Fred and Daphne had done the <em>Dirty Dancing</em> lift in the parking lot, and Corinne Faulkner had called them "Relationship Goals?" It seemed impossible.</p><p>Velma felt particularly guilty about that aspect of The Fight. It was her fault that Daphne and Fred had split up, she was sure of it. Just like it was her fault that she and Shaggy had split up, and all of Mystery Incorporated for that matter. Everything – every single thing – was her fault.</p><p>The world had ended, but life went on.</p><p>As the weeks passed, they all went back to all their old groups – Fred hung out with the football team, Velma with the science club, and Daphne was back in with the popular crowd, constantly pursued by boys who now knew that she was available. But since the gang had been their first – and only – friends since they'd moved to Coolsville, Scooby and Shaggy only had each other. It wasn't awful, but it was a bit lonely. Shaggy was glad, at least, that he and Scooby had made up. Otherwise, he would have had no one at all.</p><p>Tony Moretti had taken pity on the gang and took turns sitting with each of them during lunch. He wasn't taking sides, he told them, but he did pass along news about other former members. This was how Scooby and Shaggy learned that Fred was still meeting with Heavy Meddle on Monday evenings – alone. It was also how they learned that Daphne had gone on several dates with her ex-boyfriend Red Herring (though they were not "official"), and how they learned that Velma had received college acceptances from all the Ivy Leagues – Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale – just as Shaggy and Scooby had thought she would.</p><p>Daphne's NYU audition had apparently gone well, and there was a rumor that she'd already sent in her intent to enroll for the fall, even though decisions weren't due until the first of May.</p><p>Fred sent his enrollment intent to Coolsville U. It was the only place he'd applied.</p><p>There was a rumor that Velma had decided on Stanford, and Shaggy couldn't help but wonder why. Why Stanford, and not Yale? Or Harvard? Was it because Stanford was the farthest away from Coolsville? From everyone else? Shaggy couldn't be sure, but if that was the reason, he understood it. Honestly, he was feeling that way himself, a bit. Everywhere he went – the library, the malt shop, even school – reminded him of the gang. It was some serious irony. When he'd first moved to Coolsville, he hadn't wanted – or expected – the town to grow on him, but it had. It was home now.</p><p>No, that wasn't true. <em>The gang </em>was home. But the gang didn't exist anymore. What was the point in staying if the people who made it worthwhile were all gone?</p><p>"Scoob," Shaggy said one day near the end of April. The two of them were sitting on the couch in their living room, watching TV and eating snacks. "Like, how would you like to live in Chicago next year?"</p><p>Scooby looked up. "Roosevelt?" he asked.</p><p>Shaggy nodded. "I think it's like…the right choice. For me. For us."</p><p>Scooby blinked at him. "Rokay," he agreed.</p><p>And that was that. Every member of Mystery Incorporated were going to separate colleges. The gang had well and truly split up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I will be taking a short break for a few weeks, but I'll be back on Wednesday, November 25th at or around 10pm EST! In the meantime, follow me on Tumblr (SpongeAddict) or Twitter (Sponge_Addict) and of course, leave comments and kudos if you feel so inclined!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Brave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’ve returned! Thanks for being so patient during my hiatus. Enjoy chapter 14! Warnings: language, a little angst, and mild peril. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 14: Brave</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Friday, May 21</em>
  <em>st</em>
  <em> – two months after The Fight</em>
</p><p>DAPHNE BLAKE, WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME?</p><p>The gaudy banner was hung over the main entrance to the high school, bearing down on everyone who walked into the building. It was impossible to ignore.</p><p>Velma saw it the moment she and Marcie pulled into the student parking lot and felt her stomach drop out from under her.</p><p>"Oh no," she murmured when she noticed the banner. Marcie looked over and her face blanched.</p><p>"Any chance that's from Fred?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Velma just gaped at the sign as she and Marcie exited the car. The banner loomed over them as they walked towards the entrance, casting a shadow over Velma.</p><p>In the weeks that had elapsed since The Fight, her anger had evaporated. She was no longer mad at the gang. She wasn't even angry at Shaggy anymore. Now she just missed everyone. Now she was just sad. And seeing this prom-posal for Daphne from someone who was almost certainly not Fred just depressed Velma even further – especially since she knew that it was her fault that they'd broken up in the first place.</p><p>She caught a glimpse of Fred across the parking lot, staring dumbfounded at the banner. He still drove the Mystery Machine, the sight of which always made Velma's chest ache. She didn't understand how Fred could even drive it. Briefly they made eye contact, but Velma quickly looked away and headed for the building. She nearly collided directly with Shaggy and Scooby, who had just gotten off their bus.</p><p>Velma's heart wrenched as she and Shaggy stared at each other. Of course, she saw him every day in homeroom, as well as their Spanish and English classes, but she could mentally prepare herself for those encounters, because she knew when they were coming. When she ran into him by surprise like this, it felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. Out of everyone in the gang, she missed him the most – and not just in a romantic sense. It reminded her of last year before they were dating, when they'd argued briefly during the musical. It had been a miserable two weeks when she'd just wanted her friend back. Now she felt that longing again tenfold.</p><p>Scooby watched them, waiting with bated breath, as he did anytime Shaggy interacted with someone in the gang these days. The dog, not really one to hold a grudge, had gotten over his anger pretty much immediately and wanted to get the gang back together more than anything else in the world. But he knew that it was up to the humans, and they were all too stubborn to do anything about it. Shaggy proved this as he did an about face and stalked into the building, leaving Scooby no choice but to follow. He shot Velma a sympathetic look over his shoulder, and then sighed as he trotted after Shaggy. This was driving Scooby crazy. How long was this fight going to last? The school year was nearly over. Last week they'd finished taking all their AP tests, so all they had to worry about now were final exams – and the prom, which was next weekend. Then there would be a short half-week of commencement rehearsal for the seniors, then senior awards night, and then it would be time for graduation. Would the gang make up before then? Scooby hoped so, but the longer they went without speaking, the less likely it seemed. And if they didn't do it before they went their separate ways for college, they might never make up.</p><p>Velma and Marcie entered the school and turned down a hallway to stop by Marcie's locker.</p><p>"You okay, V?" she asked. She'd been an incredible help to Velma these past several weeks. It wasn't the same as the gang, of course, but Velma was endlessly grateful for Marcie's friendship.</p><p>Velma shrugged as Marcie opened her locker. "I'm fine." She wasn't, not really. She wasn't sure she'd ever be fine again. She missed the gang so much, like a physical part of herself was gone. But Velma knew she was reaping what she'd sowed. She had brought this on herself. None of this would have happened if she'd let her logic lead her decisions instead of her emotions.</p><p>A few lockers down, Daphne was twisting in her combination, and Velma turned away. After what she'd done to Daphne's relationship with Fred, Velma couldn't even look at her erstwhile friend anymore without feeling the heat of guilt and shame grip her heart like a vise.</p><p>"Holy shit!" Ashley Hoang stampeded down the hall and abruptly stopped at Daphne's locker. There weren't any teachers nearby so there was no admonition for language, but eyes turned to her regardless. Her face was alight with glee and admiration. Velma watched her surreptitiously. "That BANNER!" Ashley shrieked, eyes wide. "Oh my God!"</p><p>"I know," Daphne replied with a coquettish giggle. "Red really went all out."</p><p>"I <em>knew </em>it was Red!" Ashley exclaimed. "So you're gonna say yes, right?"</p><p>Daphne shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we'll see."</p><p>"Daph, prom is <em>next week</em>!" Ashley cried. "How can you not know if you'll say yes?"</p><p>"I'm gonna take the weekend to think about it," Daphne told her. "And then I'll let him know on Monday."</p><p>Ashley glanced over Daphne's shoulder at Velma and Marcie, who were both staring off into space and pretending not to listen. She dropped her voice to a whisper.</p><p>"You're not <em>still </em>hoping that Fred Jones will come back to you, do you?"</p><p>Daphne turned scarlet. "W-what? No, of course not, that's ridiculous. I'm just…keeping my options open. A lot of guys have asked me to prom, you know. AJ Kehret even sent flowers to my house."</p><p>Ashley gasped delightedly just as the warning bell rang. "Argh, I gotta go to homeroom. But tell me <em>everything </em>about those flowers at lunch, kay?"</p><p>"Sure," Daphne replied as Ashley trotted off. After she'd gone, Daphne accidentally caught Velma's eye. Her blush had receded slightly, but now it came back in full force as she and Velma made eye contact. Daphne hurriedly shut her locker door and darted down the hallway.</p><p>Marcie adjusted her backpack straps and watched Daphne go. "Do you think that's true?" she whispered, once Daphne was out of earshot. "That she's waiting for Fred?"</p><p>"I don't know," Velma admitted as she and Marcie started off down the hall. "Is it bad if I hope so?"</p><p>"Of course not," Marcie replied sincerely. "They're your friends. And you miss them. It's completely understandable."</p><p>Velma sighed as they approached her locker. "Can you call them my friends if we haven't spoken in two months?"</p><p>Marcie didn't reply.</p><p>Velma opened her locker and a folded white slip of paper fell out. All thoughts of the gang vanished and Velma felt her blood run cold. She hadn't heard from the secret admirer in months, not since that last threatening note right before spring break.</p><p>"What's that?" Marcie asked, spying the piece of paper.</p><p>"I think it's…a note," Velma replied in a whisper.</p><p>Marcie creased her brow. "A note?"</p><p>"Someone's been leaving secret admirer notes for me since the beginning of the school year," Velma told her. "But his notes have gotten really creepy lately. I haven't heard from him in a while though…not since before spring break. I'd forgotten about him…I'd hoped he'd forgotten about me, too."</p><p>Marcie still looked confused. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>Reluctantly, Velma opened the slip of paper and read it aloud in an undertone.</p><p>"Velma,</p><p>This is getting ridiculous. I like to think myself a patient man, but I've waited for almost two months, and the prom is next weekend. Everyone says you're the smartest girl in your grade. If that was true, you should have figured out who I am by now. You can't ignore me forever. This was never about you, but I can make it that way if you don't give me what I want."</p><p>Marcie's face blanched. "Can I see that?" she asked, reaching for the note. Velma handed it over and watched as Marcie's face became paler and paler as she read it herself. "What the hell?" she murmured.</p><p>Velma said nothing, just gazed around at the other students in the hallway. <em>This was never about you? </em>What did <em>that </em>mean?</p><p>"I don't understand…" Marcie trailed off, confusion and worry contorting her face. "You said you heard from the secret admirer right before spring break?"</p><p>"Yeah," Velma replied, finally noticing Marcie's expression. Why did she look so uneasy?</p><p>Marcie looked sideways at Velma and a bit of color returned to her cheeks. In fact, she seemed to be blushing. "Okay, listen," she said hesitantly. "I have to tell you something, but first you have to know that my intentions were pure."</p><p>Velma frowned. "What intentions?"</p><p>Marcie's face flamed a deep crimson and she looked at the ground. "I never meant to tell you this. I knew nothing could ever come from it."</p><p>"Come from <em>what? </em>What are you talking about?"</p><p>"I'm the secret admirer," Marcie told her, still blushing furiously and not making eye contact. "Or, one of them, I guess."</p><p>Velma blinked uncomprehendingly. "You…what?"</p><p>"It was me at the start of the year," Marcie repeated. "I've had a crush on you for a long time, but I wasn't sure if you felt that way about…you know…girls…so I thought I'd bide my time until I figured it out. But then you told me that you were dating Shaggy and I didn't want to pursue you if you were taken, so I stopped sending the notes. Especially after you told me you were in love with him. I figured you were straight."</p><p>Dumbfounded, Velma stared at Marcie. Marcie, her brilliant friend. Marcie, the science fair genius. Marcie, who was her only competition for valedictorian. Marcie, who had apparently had a crush on her for a long time. It had been <em>Marcie </em>all along? Velma had no idea what to think. Or how to feel.</p><p>But before Velma could react in any way, Marcie hurried on.</p><p>"That's why I didn't sit with you guys at lunch for a week after that party, when you'd told me your true feelings for Shaggy," she said in a rush, seemingly embarrassed by her confession. "I needed some space to get over you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. And I wasn't about to try to start something up with you when I knew there was no hope."</p><p>"Wait a minute," said Velma, suddenly coming back to herself. "You said you stopped sending the notes. When was that?"</p><p>Marcie glanced off to the side, thinking. "Ah…February? I left a note in your locker the morning after Valentine's Day, but I didn't learn about you and Shaggy until that afternoon. I swear I never would have sent them at all if I'd known you were dating him."</p><p>"That doesn't matter," Velma told her. "But you're telling me that you haven't put <em>any</em> notes in my locker since then?"</p><p>"Yes," Marcie replied. "I swear, as soon as I found out you and Shaggy were together, I stopped."</p><p>"Well <em>someone's </em>been putting notes in my locker," said Velma. "I've gotten at least half a dozen since Valentine's Day."</p><p>"That's the weirdest thing." Marcie looked back down at the note in her hand. "This letter is written in my handwriting. Or else, a very good forgery job. But whoever wrote this…and the others since after Valentine's Day…it isn't me."</p><p>Velma's stomach twisted in cold fear. "Then who is it?"</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>For the rest of the morning, Velma's mind whirled with confusion and worry. She was in a dither by the time lunch rolled around, and she and Marcie sat down at their usual table.</p><p>"It just doesn't make sense," Velma said the moment she took a seat. "What are the odds that <em>two </em>people have been leaving notes in my locker? That can't be a coincidence."</p><p>Marcie frowned thoughtfully. "What did the other notes say?" she asked. "Were they all threatening, like the one we found this morning?"</p><p>Velma thought back to the other notes she'd received. She remembered all too well the over-complimentary language the second secret admirer had used. It was so different from Marcie's notes, Velma was surprised with herself that she didn't realize they'd been written by two different authors. Marcie's notes were sweet, innocent, kind.</p><p>But the second author wrote things like, <em>Every day I get to see you, it feels like I can breathe a little easier.</em></p><p>
  <em>You invade my every waking thought and most of my dreams as well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I dreamt of kissing you last night. I bet your lips are soft and warm.</em>
</p><p>Why did heat rise to Velma's face when she thought about telling this to Marcie?</p><p>"Um…I don't quite remember," Velma lied, hoping her blush wasn't too noticeable. "But you could come over after school. I can show you the notes the other person left for me and you could see them for yourself."</p><p>Marcie frowned regretfully. "I would, but I can't. I lead a precalc tutoring group at the library on Friday afternoons."</p><p>Velma shook her head and waved a nonchalant hand. "It's all right, don't worry." She felt slightly relieved. "I can text you pictures of them and you can tell me your theories after your tutoring group."</p><p>"Were they all written in my handwriting?" asked Marcie.</p><p>Velma nodded, and Marcie frowned deeper.</p><p>"I wonder why. Were they trying to make you think that<em> I</em> was the one saying those things?"</p><p>"To frame you, you mean?" Velma shrugged. "I don't know. Whoever it is would have had to know that..."</p><p>Velma blushed again, not quite wanting to say the words that naturally followed: <em>that you had feelings for me.</em></p><p>"...That you had been leaving notes in the first place," Velma finished, embarrassed. "Is there anyone who would have known?"</p><p>Marcie shook her head. "I didn't tell anyone about this. Like I said, I know how to keep a secret. Especially if it's my own." Marcie glanced sideways at Velma. "I don't think I'm the target here – I'm just collateral. I think that whoever's doing this is trying to scare <em>you</em>."</p><p>Velma sighed and glanced around the cafeteria. As she did, she glimpsed members of the gang across the lunchroom. Fred was with several popular jocks, Daphne sat with a gaggle of giggling girls, and Scooby and Shaggy shared a table with Tony. Scooby made eye contact with Velma and she averted her eyes. She needed to solve this mystery, but she knew the others would never help her after what she'd done to them.</p><p>Velma hated to admit it, but Marcie was right – she, Velma, was the target. But who would want to do this to her? And why? Whoever it was must have known she was receiving notes already. But even as angry as they had all been, no one in the gang would write notes like these, and they were the only ones who knew about them.</p><p><em>And Tony, </em>Velma's brain reminded her.</p><p>Velma's stomach clenched, and she glanced at him across the cafeteria, talking to Shaggy. Could Tony have been lying before? Had he been the one leaving the creepy notes after all? Was it possible that Shaggy had been right about Tony all along?</p><p>She ruminated on it for the rest of the afternoon, but talked herself out of the idea by the time biology class came to an end. It didn't make any sense – she'd asked him about it point blank, and it wasn't like him at all to lie. Or to sneak around leaving creepy notes in the first place.</p><p>Still, it couldn't hurt to ask him one more time.</p><p>Not at school, though. She knew better now than to talk where anyone could overhear.</p><p>"Hey," said Velma to Marcie at the end of the day. The sky had turned gray and overcast with the promise of a spring thunderstorm. Marcie was driving her home and had just pulled out of the school parking lot. "Do you mind if we stop by Tony's for a minute before you go to the library? He lives a few streets over from me. I'll show you where. It won't take long."</p><p>Marcie nodded. "Sure, I can take you." She stopped at a traffic light and looked at Velma out of the corner of her eye. "Listen...I've been thinking...do you want to call your friends?"</p><p>Velma stared at her. "What?"</p><p>"I'm just saying," Marcie replied. "I know that you guys work as a team...and if this note-leaver is serious..."</p><p>Velma hesitated. She'd had that same thought earlier that afternoon in the cafeteria, when she and Scooby had glanced at each other. It was tempting.</p><p>But...</p><p>"I'll be fine," Velma told her. "We're not a team anymore, anyway. They won't help me. I can do this myself."</p><p>When they reached the Willow Springs neighborhood, Velma gave Marcie directions. "Down this street. Third house on the right." She noticed Heavy Meddle's garish van parked out front.</p><p>Marcie parked behind it. "Should I come inside too?"</p><p>Velma shook her head. "This should be quick. I'll be right back." She let herself out of the car and started up the walkway.</p><p>"Velma!"</p><p>She'd barely made it to the porch before she heard a voice behind her. She turned to find Julie St. James rushing towards her, having come out of the passenger side of Heavy Meddle's van. To Velma's complete surprise, Julie embraced her in a tight hug.</p><p>"How've you been?" Julie asked as she pulled away. "Fred told us all about what happened with your friends. I'm so sorry. Are you doing okay?"</p><p>Velma felt slightly taken aback, but also touched. "As well as I can be," she admitted. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"Joey broke a guitar string," Julie told her. "He has some extras here, and just ran inside to get them before rehearsal. Everyone's waiting at home for us."</p><p>"You rehearse in the dorms?" asked Velma, confused. Where could they rehearse without disturbing other people who lived in their building?</p><p>"We don't live in the dorms," Julie replied. "We all rent a small house near campus together, and we rehearse in the garage. It's right across the street from the fine arts building, Darrow Hall, which is convenient since we're all music majors. Of course, the spring semester's over – graduation was a few weeks ago – so we have more time to rehearse for your prom now."</p><p>"Did you graduate?" asked Velma.</p><p>Julie shook her head. "No, we just finished our junior year. Well, Leon's a senior, but he has to do one more semester, so he'll be finished in December. Technically Joey should be a senior too, but he spent most of his sophomore year in rehab so he doesn't graduate till next year either. We'll probably extend our lease on this house so we can all live together again."</p><p>Velma noticed that Julie rolled her eyes as she said this. "Do you not want to live there anymore?"</p><p>"No, no," Julie said. "The house is great. I just…I wish Leon was moving out." She grimaced wryly. "Don't tell him I said that."</p><p>Velma just stared at her, a question blazing in her eyes.</p><p>Julie noticed and sighed. "We were fine before we lived together," she told her. "Or, I thought we were. Like, I thought he was kind of annoying and pretentious, but I didn't mind being around him since I could go home whenever he was getting to be too much. But now my home and his home are the same. We see each other all the time, every day. The only time I get any respite from him is whene he goes to work at the fine arts library on campus, and then I finally feel like I can breathe again. But we don't have this problem with anyone else. Not with Joey, or Felix, or Priya. Just with each other. There's not any distinct reason for it…but living together this year made us realize that we never really liked each other, as people." She sighed. "It's a weird thing to spend years believing you're friends with a person, only to realize that you have nothing in common, and maybe you shouldn't have even been friends with them in the first place."</p><p>Well, that certainly explained the animosity between Julie and Leon. But this was sounding awfully familiar to Velma – it was very, very close to what had happened between her and the gang.</p><p>Velma glanced away so she wouldn't have to look Julie in the eye. Her gaze landed on Heavy Meddle's van, and once again she studied the horrible, yet somehow familiar design of the band's name on the side.</p><p>"Hey, I've been wondering…who wrote that?" she asked, jerking her head at the van.</p><p>Julie glanced at the van and rolled her eyes. "Leon. He used to have the absolute worst handwriting, as you can see, but two years ago he took a penmanship class. His natural handwriting is still terrible, but if he really tries, he can make it look nice. And now he could probably forge anyone's signature with enough practice. It's kind of creepy, actually."</p><p>Something clicked in Velma's brain and she stared at Julie.</p><p>Julie looked perplexed when she noticed Velma's intense gaze. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned.</p><p>"I'm fine," Velma replied. "Thanks for your help Julie." She sprinted back down the lawn to Marcie.</p><p>"How...I...what did I help?" Julie sounded bewildered, but Velma didn't stop to explain. She just hopped into Marcie's car and quickly fastened her seatbelt.</p><p>"What was that about?" asked Marcie. "I thought you came to see Tony."</p><p>"I need you to take me home," Velma told her. "I just made a major break in the case."</p><p>"By...talking to Tony's brother's girlfriend?" Marcie asked, confused.</p><p>"Just drop me off at home," Velma said. "I'll explain on the way."</p><p>Marcie didn't say anything else, just did as she was told.</p><p>"I have a new hunch but I have to confirm it first," said Velma as Marcie drove. "I can't jump to conclusions."</p><p>Marcie looked pained. "I wish I could help but my tutoring group…"</p><p>Velma shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'll call you if my hunch is right. I should know soon."</p><p>"Okay," Marcie said reluctantly. They had arrived at Velma's. "I'll wait for your call!"</p><p>But Velma was already halfway to her front door.</p><p>Once inside, she sprinted up the stairs to her room, where she unceremoniously dumped her messenger bag and flung open her closet door. Velma dragged her desk chair over and hastily climbed on top of it so she could yank the cardboard box down from its shelf.</p><p>"Come on," she muttered, kneeling on the ground with the box and frantically digging through the contents. "Where is it, where is it...a ha!" Triumphantly she extracted the note that she now realized was written in the same messy handwriting as Heavy Meddle's name on the side of the van, and held it close to her glasses so she could read it.</p><p>
  <em>D-</em>
</p><p><em>Thanks for all the help w/ </em>[something ineligible was written here]<em>, please take these as a token of my appreciation. You're the greatest.</em></p><p>As Velma re-read the note with fresh eyes and new knowledge, a memory came back to her. At the very first meeting with Heavy Meddle, Leon had stood near her as she fingered the keys on the baby grand piano. He'd asked if she played, and told her that he played some. And then he'd said…</p><p>"<em>For a long time in high school, I had a crush on a girl who played the piano – that was how I got started. I wanted to impress her, but…it didn't work out that way</em><em>."</em></p><p>With the memory of Leon's words in her brain, Velma stared at the unintelligible word and suddenly realized what it said.</p><p>
  <em>Piano.</em>
</p><p>Breathlessly, she stared at the box and pulled out her sister's high school yearbook. She flipped through the senior pages first, and found her older sister's beautiful, smiling portrait in the D section. The caption read, <em>Dorothy Dinkley, grade 12, </em>and underneath that, her accomplishments<em>. Academic Decathlon, Model UN, Chamber Band Pianist.</em></p><p>Velma gazed at the word "pianist" for several moments as realization hit her like a freight train. The Dinkleys had tried to push piano on all their daughters, but Dottie and Velma were the only ones who had stuck with it past third grade. She had completely forgotten that Dottie had played the piano in high school too. It was the biggest clue ever, staring her right in the face, but Velma hadn't even realized. She began searching through the yearbook again, this time turning to the pages of underclassmen. She flipped too far and found herself in the Ms, where a ninth-grade Joey Moretti smiled a lopsided grin that looked exactly like Tony's. Velma backtracked and flipped to a page of B's. When she found what she was looking for, she sucked in a harsh breath.</p><p>A teenager with floppy brown hair and glasses smirked up at her. <em>Leon Berger, grade 9, </em>the caption stated. And beneath the photo, a hastily scribbled note in that same messy handwriting.</p><p>
  <em>I love you, D. I always will. Leon.</em>
</p><p>Velma stood up as all the pieces started to click into place. Her hunch was correct, and she thought she understood the motive. But she needed more proof. Making up her mind, she picked her bag up again, stuffed the note inside, and ran back down the stairs. No sooner had she stepped into the foyer than the front door opened and Madelyn stepped in, home from school.</p><p>She took one look at the frenzied look on Velma's face and frowned in confusion. "Where are you going in such a rush?"</p><p>"Uh," Velma replied, trying to catch her breath and think of a credible lie. She didn't want Madelyn to know what she was up to. "Just…to the library. Finals start on Monday."</p><p>"It looks like it's about to rain," Madelyn said, eyeing the sky out the window.</p><p>"It's all right, it's not that far," Velma responded with what she hoped was a casual shrug. "I can walk."</p><p>Madelyn glanced at her suspiciously, but Velma simply looked back at her in the most innocent manner she could.</p><p>"Okay then," Madelyn replied.</p><p>Before her sister could say anything more, Velma left out the front door and dashed down the street. She thought briefly about actually going to the library and telling Marcie what she was doing, but decided against it – she didn't want to disturb her while she was working. Rather, once Velma was out of sight of the house, she called a Lyft, and five minutes later, she was on her way to Coolsville University.</p><p>The rain began on the ride, just a light sprinkle at first. The journey to the college was only about fifteen minutes, but it felt like it took much longer to Velma. She wasn't sure how long the band would be in rehearsal, but they'd have to end sometime. Hopefully, though, not before she found some more evidence.</p><p>Velma had been to Coolsville U a handful of times, the most significant being once last summer when she and the gang had gone on a tour for prospective students. It had been a nice day, and they'd had a great deal of fun imagining where they'd live and how they'd spend their time on campus. She pushed the thoughts out of her head as she left the Lyft and headed towards Darrow Hall. She didn't have time to dwell on how much she missed the gang right now.</p><p>As Julie had said, the spring semester had ended a few weeks ago, so there were no students on campus. Even if there had been, they probably wouldn't have been milling about on the lawn, since it was starting to rain, so Velma didn't meet anyone as the fine arts building came closer into her view. It was a lovely building, but huge – Velma had actually gotten lost in it with Shaggy when they'd been here on their prospective student tour.</p><p>But Darrow Hall wasn't her destination. Instead, she made her way across the street, where there was a row of small one-story houses. In the driveway of a house with a brick façade was Heavy Meddle's van, and she could hear Felix drumming, so she knew she was in the right place. Avoiding the garage entirely, she edged around to the other side of the house, where a sliding glass back door was slightly open. Pushing it quietly, she stepped in and found herself in a small kitchen. Velma patted her hair dry and closed the door behind her. As she did, she became aware of how fast her heart was beating, and suddenly felt her stomach twist with fear. She'd gotten this far on adrenaline, but now the reality of what she was doing caught up with her.</p><p><em>No going back now, Dinkley, </em>she told herself. <em>Be brave.</em></p><p>She found Leon's room easily. It was down a short hallway off the kitchen, and she knew it was his because his name was displayed prominently on the door. Listening hard to make sure that the pulsing drumbeat was still issuing from the garage (it was), Velma turned the knob and entered.</p><p>The room was small but neat – too neat. Like serial killer neat.</p><p><em>Stop,</em> Velma scolded herself for being so paranoid. <em>You sound like Shaggy. </em>A twinge of pain seared across her chest as she thought of him, and she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. She studied the room. A twin bed was pushed up against one wall, a desk and a dresser were pushed up against another. A small wardrobe sat in the corner, with an empty stand for a bass guitar beside it. There weren't any decorations, so much of the wall was bare. And now that she was here, Velma wasn't actually sure what to look for. Cautiously, she approached the desk and began opening drawers. In the first, she discovered a few writing utensils and some notebooks. She knelt on the ground and flipped through the notebooks, looking for something incriminating, but found nothing – they seemed to be mostly full of classroom notes.</p><p>With a sigh, she opened another drawer. Inside she found some sheet music and bass guitar tabs, and searched through the stack. Suddenly, she gasped when, mixed in with the miscellaneous music, she discovered a piece of paper that was very familiar to her. It was the secret admirer note that Marcie had given her after Valentine's Day. The one that had gone missing. The one, Velma now remembered, that she had shown the band at their very first meeting. Breathing heavily, Velma stared at the note. This was the proof she'd been looking for.</p><p>Leon <em>had</em> been leaving the second set of secret admirer notes. He must have stolen Marcie's original letter out of Velma's bag that day when she'd showed it to the band, and had been using it as a guide with the other secret admirer notes. Julie said he was a skilled forger. But how had he been leaving them in her locker? And <em>why</em>?</p><p><em>This was never about you, </em>the note had said.</p><p>So then it <em>must </em>be about Dottie.</p><p>Velma pulled out her phone and dialed Marcie's number. It went to voicemail – she must still be leading the tutoring session.</p><p>"Marcie," Velma said when the tone beeped. "I figured out who the other secret admirer is, but I think I'm in over my head with this. I don't know what to do…" Her eyes swept over the room and she let out a long breath. "Jinkies, it's a long story, so I'll just explain everything in person. I'm on my way back now. I'll see you in fifteen minutes."</p><p>Velma ended the call and shoved Marcie's original note into her messenger bag, suddenly struck by how quiet it sounded. With a jolt, she realized that the band had stopped playing – they must be taking a break. She needed to get out of here before Leon found her. She was about to head for the door when her phone buzzed in her hand. Marcie's name lit up the screen.</p><p>"Don't answer that."</p><p>With a gasp, Velma whirled around, dropping her phone to the ground. Leon was standing in the threshold of the door with his bass guitar slung over his shoulder, hands in his pockets. He was staring at her with a curious intensity. Velma's heart thundered. She watched as Leon slowly approached her and quietly shut the door behind him, blocking her only exit.</p><p>Leon stared at her. "You finally figured it out," he murmured. "Congratu-fucking-lations. Although…this part isn't going exactly as I'd planned. I hadn't anticipated that you'd break into my house. Oh well. No matter. You're here now, so I suppose I'll have to improvise." He put the bass in its stand and continued to walk towards her.</p><p>Heart in her throat, Velma watched numb, terrified, as he continued to approach her. She couldn't move, she couldn't even scream. All the bravery that her adrenaline had awarded her evaporated. She couldn't help but remember the violent way Leon had shoved Julie. The scene kept looping in her mind.</p><p>Leon still gazed at her. "We shouldn't stay. We're not done with rehearsal yet and I wouldn't want the others to find us in here." He cocked his head towards the door. "Let's go for a walk."</p><p>Velma trembled from head to foot. "I'm not going anywhere with you," she whispered, trying to sound braver than she felt.</p><p>Leon took his hands out of his pockets and stepped closer to Velma. "I don't think you understand," he murmured, his face twisting into a menacing grimace. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice." He was now right in front of her, looming over her, as intimidating, threatening, and frightening as he'd ever been. Velma's breath caught in her throat as Leon gave her an ominous smile.</p><p>And that was when she noticed the knife in his hand.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Where Are You Now?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back! I've split this chapter into two parts, so enjoy the first part of chapter 15! Warnings: language, peril, and mentions of violent assault. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 15, Part 1: Where are You Now</strong>
</p><p>"Walk," Leon snarled, gesturing with his knife towards the door to the hallway. He stooped down and picked Velma's phone up from the ground where she'd dropped it and put it in his pocket.</p><p>Velma watched him, breathing shallowly. Not taking her eyes off the knife, she did as he asked and walked past him towards the door. Leon followed. Once they were in the hall, he took hold of her arm and pressed the dull edge of his knife up to her. She couldn't help her gasp.</p><p>"Shh," Leon warned in an ominous hiss. "Stay quiet, or else. Don't make me do something I might regret later." He pressed the edge of the knife against her again, and she stifled her whimper as he led her silently down the hall towards the kitchen. Velma could hear the muffled voices of the band members coming from the garage on the other side of the house, behind them. They weren't going to pass the garage, and the band members wouldn't see them leave.</p><p>Velma wanted to scream, to call for help, but she didn't dare. She was afraid that if she did, it would be the last thing she'd ever do.</p><p>The rain was starting to pick up. Velma blinked water out of her eyes as Leon, still grasping her arm, guided her back across the street to campus. They ducked into the fine arts building and found themselves in a hallway off the student art gallery. Faintly, Velma could hear her phone buzzing in Leon's pocket. Marcie must be calling her again.</p><p>"Let's turn this off," he muttered, depressing the power button. Velma felt her muscles tense with anxiety as she watched Leon remove his glasses with the hand that wasn't holding her arm. He rubbed the lenses a few times on the hem of his shirt, then put the glasses back on his face to take stock of their surroundings. He seemed to be trying to decide where to go. "Right. This way."</p><p>He took her arm again and led her down a short hallway into a stairwell, where they descended two flights. Then they came to another hallway with a door off to the left, which Leon pushed open and shoved Velma inside.</p><p>Velma glanced around. She vaguely recognized this room. Last summer, when she and the gang had been here on their prospective student tour and she and Shaggy had gotten lost, they'd wound up in here. It was a huge, oval-shaped room, with small paper books lining the shelves built into the walls. A computer sat on an L-shaped desk near the door they'd entered from, with a few closets built into the wall behind it. Aisles of file cabinets winded through the room like rows of huge metal dominoes. There were a few tables with chairs scattered around, and a short staircase across the room led up to the surrounding balcony above them.</p><p>"What is this place?" she whispered, finally finding her voice.</p><p>"The fine arts library," Leon replied casually, leading Velma to the L-shaped desk. "The theater department keeps scripts in here for their classes and performances, and there are some art and music history textbooks up in the reading room." He gestured vaguely towards the upper balcony, still keeping a firm grip on Velma's arm. "There's some sheet music in these closets behind the checkout counter, and the file cabinets are full of archives."</p><p><em>Right,</em> Velma thought. Julie had mentioned that Leon worked here.</p><p>He gestured to the chair behind the L-shaped checkout counter. "Sit," he commanded. Velma did so, still afraid of incurring his wrath. Leon opened a drawer in the desk and took out a roll of duct tape. He glanced at Velma and smiled, though there was no mirth in his face. It was that same ominous grin he'd given her back in his room.</p><p>"Put your arms behind the back of the chair," he murmured, kneeling behind her and firmly taking her wrists. "Just a precaution, I'm sure you understand." He winked evilly and Velma felt a chill run down her spine. Leon began tightly wrapping the duct tape around her wrists, then looped it through the slats in the back of her chair.</p><p>Velma glowered at Leon, remembering how Julie had stared him down several weeks ago when he'd lunged for her. She hadn't been frightened then. Velma was determined not to seem frightened either, even though she was terrified down to her very bones.</p><p>Leon chuckled at her look and stood in front of her, continuing to idly play with his knife.</p><p>"What do you want?" Velma asked, feigning as much bravery as she could.</p><p>"I'll answer your questions if you answer mine," Leon responded. He smirked and leaned back against the counter. "How did you finally figure out I was the one leaving you notes?"</p><p>"My friend Marcie," Velma replied. She figured it was in her best interest to tell the truth right now. "She was with me this morning when I found your newest note, and she told me that she'd been the one leaving them at first. She'd stopped when she learned that I was dating Shaggy."</p><p>She wished Shaggy were here. She wished the whole gang were here.</p><p>"It explains why the content of the notes changed so drastically, and why there was such a long gap between her last note and your first one," Velma went on, determined not to let Leon see how scared she was. "You were practicing her handwriting, weren't you? So you could make me think they had all come from the same person."</p><p>"I knew you were smart," said Leon, still grinning maddeningly at her. "All you Dinkley's are smart. It's a family trait."</p><p>Velma had said almost this exact thing to Daphne a few months ago. The eeriness of this unnerved her. "But there are a few things I don't understand," she continued. Leon's smile was terrifying. Her voice was still shaky, but she kept going. "How have you been getting into the school to put notes in my locker?"</p><p>"Not hard to pick a lock," was his cryptic response.</p><p>"Why did you set a deadline? To figure it out before prom?"</p><p>Leon shrugged. "I was getting tired of waiting."</p><p>Velma took a deep breath. She needed to cut to the chase. "This whole thing...it has something to do with my sister, right? Dottie?"</p><p>Leon said nothing, just smiled that horrible grin.</p><p>Velma stared at him. "Is she the pianist you were in love with in high school?"</p><p>"Right again," said Leon.</p><p>"How did you find out we were sisters?"</p><p>"Your faces are similar," Leon told her. "When we met at the concert hall, I thought you looked like her – though of course, she dyes her hair blonde, and she doesn't wear glasses. When Fred introduced you and I got your last name, I realized I was right." He shrugged and jerked his chin in her direction. "And if that wasn't enough confirmation, you showed up at our first band meeting wearing those magnetic earrings. <em>Her </em>earrings."</p><p>Velma tried to touch her ears, where the earrings sat unassumingly, but remembered that her hands were restrained behind her back. She swallowed. "They were from you, right?" she whispered. "You gave them to her as a gift, but she rejected you?"</p><p>Leon's smile wavered ever so slightly, and Velma saw a flicker of real rage in his eyes. But it evaporated as quickly as it had arrived, and suddenly that scary, conniving smile was back.</p><p>"Like I said," he murmured. "This was never about you. It was always about her. But now that I have you...it'll be easier than ever to get to her."</p><p>Cold dread flooded through Velma's entire body, and it seemed as though the rain on the roof high above was pounding in time with her heart.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>The rain was coming down in earnest now. Storm clouds had darkened the sky, even though it was barely four-thirty in the afternoon. Thunder rumbled, and lightning sporadically flashed through the sky, illuminating FitzSimmonds Court and the Rogers' otherwise dark living room. The only other source of light was the TV, where a Vincent Van Ghoul movie was playing. Shaggy and Scooby were sitting on the couch, curled under a blanket and watching the film through their fingers (or paws, in Scooby's case).</p><p>They'd seen this one before, it was one of their favorites. But the jumpscares still got Shaggy. Especially since they were the only ones home – Shaggy's parents took a painting class in Lyonsville on Fridays. Being alone in the house, watching a scary movie while a thunderstorm rumbled outside only added to the spooky atmosphere.</p><p>
  <em>KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK</em>
</p><p>"AARRGGHH!" Shaggy and Scooby both yelled in fright at the sound of someone pounding on their front door. When he'd gotten his heartbeat under control, Shaggy reached for the remote and paused the movie. Whoever was at the door hadn't stopped knocking – it was incessant, insistent, and now they were ringing the doorbell too. Shaggy and Scooby glanced at each other, then tossed the blanket away and walked to the front door together.</p><p>Marcie Fleach stood there, her car parked a bit haphazardly on the curb in front of the mailbox. Her hair and clothes were wet from the brief time she'd been outside between her car and the porch, and she looked worried.</p><p>"Uh...like, hey," Shaggy said, feeling puzzled. What was she doing here?</p><p>"I'm so sorry to drop by," Marcie told him. "I would have called, but I don't have your phone number."</p><p>"But you have my...address?" Shaggy was still confused.</p><p>"I drove you home from Caleb's party for Tony, remember?"</p><p>"Oh, right." Shaggy had forgotten. That party seemed like it had happened in a whole other lifetime. "Uh...do you wanna like, come in?"</p><p>"No, I actually need you to come with me," Marcie told him, her tone a little frantic.</p><p>"What? Why? Where?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>"Tony's," Marcie replied. "I already called him, he knows we're on the way."</p><p>"Why?" Shaggy inquired again.</p><p>"It's..." Marcie hesitated, nervous. "It's about Velma."</p><p>Shaggy's stomach dropped at the sound of her name. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before he arranged his features into a stony expression. "No," he said flatly.</p><p>"Please!" Marcie exclaimed.</p><p>"I don't want to see her," Shaggy lied.</p><p>Scooby glanced up at him, incredulous. Why wouldn't Shaggy admit how much he missed Velma – and Daphne and Fred for that matter? It was driving Scooby up a wall.</p><p>"You won't," Marcie told them. "I don't know where she is. I just…Shaggy seriously, I need you all to come to Tony's, please."</p><p>Shaggy stared at her. "'You all?'" he repeated.</p><p>Marcie blushed a bit. "I might need you to call Daphne and Fred too."</p><p>Shaggy glowered at her. "Absolutely not," he said.</p><p>"Shaggy..."</p><p>"We're like, not <em>friends</em> anymore," Shaggy told her scathingly. Only Scooby could hear the pain in Shaggy's voice as he said this, and his heart twisted in empathy.</p><p>"Listen," Marcie went on, seemingly gathering her nerves. "I know you still care about Velma. That's why I came to you first."</p><p>"I don't care about her," Shaggy muttered. Another lie, Scooby knew, but the skinny bespectacled girl on their porch called him on it before the dog could.</p><p>"Oh, stop it!" Marcie shouted. "That's bullshit, and you know it!"</p><p>Shaggy and Scooby stared at Marcie, both slightly taken aback. They'd never heard her swear before.</p><p>"Shaggy please," Marcie implored him. "I know that you're all mad at each other right now, and admittedly, Velma would kill me if she knew that I came to find you, but...I'm really worried about her."</p><p>Shaggy knit his brows, confused. "Why are you so worried?"</p><p>"Because I don't. Know. Where. She is!" Marcie shouted, eyes blazing. "I've been calling and calling, but she's not answering her phone, and I think she might be in danger."</p><p>Shaggy flashed his eyes at her. That had gotten his attention. "Like, what are you talking about?"</p><p>"Rhat kind of ranger?" Scooby asked, speaking for the first time.</p><p>"Come with me, and I'll tell you everything," Marcie replied. "I promise."</p><p>Scooby looked up at Shaggy. He sighed in response.</p><p>"Like, okay," he conceded. "But Tony's calling Daphne and Fred."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Tony did call Daphne and Fred, who arrived within moments of each other. They ran into each other on the porch, and both of their hearts just about stopped when they realized their sudden proximity.</p><p>"…Hey," Fred said, his voice very quiet. It had been a long time since he'd looked into her dazzling eyes like this. He missed them. He missed her.</p><p>"Hi," Daphne replied just as softly. Her heartbeat accelerated slightly as she gazed at him.</p><p>They both turned red and averted their eyes as they entered the house.</p><p>Watching them reminded Scooby of two years ago, when Velma's younger sister Madelyn had gone missing during their first mystery. Fred and Daphne had been arguing then too, but Velma had forced them to make up so they could rescue her. Now, of course, they were all arguing, and Velma was the one missing – and the one who possibly needed rescuing, if Marcie was right about the danger.</p><p>The gang sat around Tony's kitchen table, as far apart as the space would allow, all a bit waterlogged from the rain. No one made eye contact, but Scooby watched all of them carefully. It was the first time they'd all been alone together in months, and he could sense their longing – especially between Daphne and Fred. He kept catching them glancing at each other out of the corner of their eyes, then hurriedly looking away, flushing deeper and deeper crimson each time.</p><p>Tony cleared his throat. "Fleachy, do you wanna start?" he asked. "I don't know what this is about."</p><p>Marcie, looking a bit nervous, took a deep breath. "Um," she stammered. "I-I called you all here today because..."</p><p>Everyone looked at her. Marcie trailed off, slightly pink in the face. Wordlessly, she took out her cellphone and laid it on the table in front of them.</p><p><em>"Marcie,"</em> came Velma's voice through the phone. <em>"</em><em>I figured out who the other secret admirer is, but I think I'm in over my head with this. I don't know what to do…jinkies, it's a long story, so I'll just explain everything in person. I'm on my way back now. I'll see you in fifteen minutes</em><em>."</em></p><p>Marcie took her phone back, leaving everyone staring aghast at the spot on the table where it had been.</p><p>"That was almost an hour ago," Marcie told them. "I've tried calling her back, and it goes to voicemail every time."</p><p>"In over her head with what?" Daphne murmured, confused.</p><p>"Where was she coming back from?" asked Fred.</p><p>"Hold on," said Tony, sitting forward. "She said 'the other secret admirer.' Does that mean…there were two of 'em?"</p><p>Marcie blushed. "Yes," she admitted. "One of them was me."</p><p>Shaggy stared at her, slack jawed. He was barely aware that everyone in the room was also gazing at Marcie in bewilderment – it felt as though his whole body had gone numb. Like through a tunnel, his mind sped back in time to his very first day at Coolsville High, and a question Fred had asked him.</p><p>
  <em>"Have you ever liked a girl so much that the idea of her dating some other guy made you crazy?"</em>
</p><p>Fred had been talking about Daphne, but Shaggy had been thinking about Velma. He'd learned last year, during their time working on the musical, that the idea of her dating some other guy would indeed make him crazy – he was still jealous of Tony's former relationship with her. It was part of the reason why he'd suspected him as the secret admirer.</p><p>But Shaggy had never thought about how he'd feel if Velma was dating...some other <em>girl.</em></p><p>Well, he was thinking about it now. And it felt just as bad.</p><p>Marcie looked at Shaggy mournfully. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I would have never left the notes in the first place if I'd known the two of you were together."</p><p>Shaggy felt hot shame seep through him. That was exactly what Velma had said. <em>"We both know that I wouldn't be getting these goddamn notes in the first place if people at school just knew that we were seeing each other!"</em></p><p>"It's fine," he told her with a shrug, seeming more nonchalant than he felt. "It's like, my own fault for keeping it a secret. And you don't have to apologize for liking her. I like…I get it." He felt his face go a bit warm, and he looked down, avoiding eye contact with everyone.</p><p>"Okay, so Hot Do – I mean, Marcie was one of the people leaving secret admirer notes," said Fred, quickly correcting himself. He had slipped back into using Marcie's nickname with his old friends, and a slight blush crept up his neck as he felt Daphne's eyes on him. "Who was the other one?"</p><p>Marcie shrugged. "I don't know. I told her I was the original one this morning at school, after she'd found a really creepy note in her locker. But it wasn't from me – it was forged in my handwriting, but I haven't left any notes myself since just after Valentine's Day."</p><p>"What did the newest one say?" asked Daphne.</p><p>Marcie squinted, trying to remember, "The person said she couldn't ignore them forever, and that it was never about her but he could make it that way if she didn't figure it out who they were."</p><p>"Well, according to the message she left you, it sounds like she <em>did </em>figure it out," Tony pointed out.</p><p>"She must have like, gone to confront them," Shaggy said. "That's where she was coming back from when she called Marcie."</p><p>"When did you see her last? Did she give you any indication of where she was going?" Daphne asked Marcie.</p><p>Marcie shook her head. "No, she just asked me to take her home after we stopped by Tony's after school."</p><p>Tony furrowed his brow. "You came by here? I didn't see you."</p><p>"We didn't talk to you," Marcie told him. "Velma got distracted by Julie on the front lawn, talked to her for a bit, then came back to the car and had me take her home."</p><p>"Relma talked to Rulie?" asked Scooby quizzically.</p><p>Fred frowned. "I wonder what they talked about," he said, pulling out his phone. Everyone waited while he dialed a number. "Julie? It's Fred," he said, pressing a button on the screen. "You're on speaker with the gang, Tony, and Marcie." He felt a slight pang in his chest as he said <em>the gang. </em>How long had it been since he'd referred to them as such?</p><p>"Hey!" Julie's joyful voice came through the phone. "Does this mean you've all made up?"</p><p>Everyone glanced at each other, faces tinged various shades of pink. "Listen," Fred continued, ignoring Julie's question. "Did you talk to Velma this afternoon?"</p><p>"Yeah," Julie replied. "I ran into her in front of the Moretti's house while I was waiting for Joey to get his guitar strings. I was in the van and I saw her run up the walk and I wanted to say hi. I've missed her. I miss all of you."</p><p>Everyone shifted uncomfortably and looked at the floor, too embarrassed to admit that they missed each other too.</p><p>After a few moments, Fred cleared his throat and continued. "Did she mention anything about trying to find someone?" he asked.</p><p>"Not that I recall," said Julie. "Why don't you ask her? Isn't she there?"</p><p>"No," Tony replied. "Nobody's seen her since this afternoon. We're trying to figure out where she could have gone."</p><p>"Forgive me if this sounds obvious but…have you tried calling her?" Julie asked.</p><p>"It goes straight to voicemail," Daphne said.</p><p>"I haven't been able to get her on the phone since she called me about the secret admirer," Marcie added.</p><p>"Since she called about…" Julie trailed off, confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked after a moment.</p><p>"Velma like, figured out one of the secret admirers," Shaggy told her. "We think she may have gone to find them."</p><p>"Wait," Julie now sounded hopelessly bewildered. "<em>One </em>of the secret admirers?"</p><p>"There were two," Marcie explained. "One of them was me – the original one. We don't know who the other one is, but they've been leaving creepier notes and copying my handwriting."</p><p>There was a very long pause from the other end of the phone.</p><p>"Julie?" said Fred. "You there?"</p><p>"Where are you now?" she asked, her voice low and serious. "All of you, right now, where are you?"</p><p>"Tony's. Why?"</p><p>"Don't move. Joey and I are on the way."</p><p>"What?" Fred eyed the phone.</p><p>"I'll explain in person. We'll be there soon."</p><p>"What's going on?" asked Shaggy. Julie's anxious tone worried him. "Do you know where Velma is?"</p><p>But Julie had already hung up.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Julie not only brought Joey, but Felix and Priya as well. They all entered the house twenty minutes later, dripping from the storm and looking distressed.</p><p>Tension had descended upon the others after Julie had hung up the phone with her ominous parting words. Tony was pacing, Marcie fidgeted in her chair. Fred and Daphne sat slightly closer than they had been before, though still not looking directly at each other. Daphne played with her hair and Fred gazed solemnly out the window. Shaggy sat with his head in his hands, and Scooby simply watched the others glumly.</p><p>The moment Heavy Meddle entered the house, the others jumped up and rushed them, all shouting questions over top of each other.</p><p>"Okay, one at a time!" Julie cried over the cacophony. She shook out her wet hair and adjusted the messenger bag slung over her shoulder. "Everyone back in the kitchen."</p><p>They did as they'd been told as the members of the band followed them.</p><p>"What's going on?" asked Shaggy. "Do you know where Velma is?"</p><p>"Not exactly," Julie replied, still looking tense.</p><p>"Like what does <em>that </em>mean?" Shaggy exclaimed.</p><p>"Where's Leon?" asked Tony as he realized someone was missing.</p><p>The members of the band all exchanged glances.</p><p>"What?" asked Daphne. "What is it?"</p><p>"We can't find him," Felix said. It was the most serious anyone had ever seen him. "He disappeared in the middle of rehearsal, and he's not answering his phone." He gestured for Julie to step forward. "We checked his room – he wasn't there, but we found this."</p><p>Julie laid down the messenger bag, and Shaggy's stomach lurched as he recognized it.</p><p>"Like, that's Velma's!" he cried.</p><p>"Why was it in Leon's room?" asked Marcie.</p><p>The band members all glanced nervously at each other once again. Finally, Joey murmured, "We…we think he has her."</p><p>There was about three seconds of absolute silence before the yelling began.</p><p>"What are you <em>talking </em>about?"</p><p>"'Has her,' what do you mean 'he has her?'"</p><p>"Why? How?"</p><p>"Stop!" Julie exclaimed, silencing everyone. "We will tell you everything we know, but you need to let us talk."</p><p>Everyone waited with bated breath.</p><p>"I had a conversation with Velma this afternoon," she said. "She was asking me about the writing on the side of the van, which Leon did. I told her that his natural handwriting sucks, but he took a penmanship class two years ago, and now he's a skilled forger." Julie glanced at Marcie. "When you told me that there were two secret admirers, and one of them had been copying your handwriting, I started wondering if Leon had something to do with it. So when we couldn't find Leon after your phone call, I asked Joey some questions about him. They'd gone to high school together, so I figured he had more answers than I did."</p><p>She looked at Joey and cocked her head to the side. "Tell them what you told me."</p><p>Joey looked at the others and took a deep breath. "When we were teenagers," he began. "Leon fell head over heels in love with this girl. She was a senior and we were freshmen, but Leon tried everything to get close to her. He started taking piano lessons with her, and at the end of the year when she got accepted to a college out of state, he told her how he felt. But…she didn't feel the same way. I think she turned him down gently, but he never got over her. He's been hung up on her for years." He paused. "That girl's name was Dorothy Dinkley."</p><p>Shaggy felt ice flood his veins.</p><p>"Dottie..." Daphne breathed.</p><p>"Velma's sister?" Fred glanced at Daphne anxiously.</p><p>"Obviously, none of us had any idea," Priya told the others. "We all knew about this girl, but we only found out her name today."</p><p>"Row?" asked Scooby.</p><p>The band exchanged another glance.</p><p>"I didn't know her," Joey said. "I barely knew Leon in high school – he and I didn't really become friends till college. If you showed me Dottie's picture right now, I wouldn't be able to pick her out of a lineup. Leon had told us about her only once, early in our friendship. I'd forgotten her name until Julie asked about it this afternoon."</p><p>"Leon, of course, must have recognized Velma immediately," Julie continued. "From the day he saw her at the Coolsville Concert Hall after the Hex Girls show, the second he heard her name, he knew who she was. I thought it was odd that he offered to play your prom, but now I think I understand – he was trying to get closer to her. And thus get closer to her sister again."</p><p>"But he's been getting more and more unhinged," Priya went on. "You saw how he was the day you got your Coolsville U acceptances. After everything we've learned about Dottie, we think that being around Velma hasn't been good for Leon."</p><p>Daphne remembered the way Leon had rushed at Julie and shoved her against the wall. "Is he...is he capable of hurting her?" she asked, afraid to hear the response.</p><p>The band members shared another look.</p><p>"Like answer her, damn it!" Shaggy barked when nobody said anything.</p><p>"Yes," Julie admitted. "Leon could hurt her."</p><p>Daphne brought a hand to her mouth and looked at Julie tearfully.</p><p>Unconsciously, instinctively, Fred moved towards her and gingerly put a comforting hand on her shoulder.</p><p>"How do you know?" he asked Julie, not realizing until after he'd spoken that his hand was on Daphne's shoulder. But she had put her own hand on top of his, and he had no plans to let go of her. Not when they were finally so close after all this time. "Has he...hurt someone before?"</p><p>All the band members turned to look at Julie. She closed her eyes and a tear leaked out. Joey brushed it away with his finger.</p><p>"It's okay Jules," Joey whispered, wrapping an arm around her.</p><p>Julie took a shuddery breath. "Leon attacked me once," she murmured at last. "When I was a freshman in college. I told Velma this afternoon that Leon and I never liked each other, but I didn't tell her why. This is the real story.</p><p>"It was the day he'd told me about Dottie, though he didn't use her name. He'd just told me that he'd had a crush on a senior girl when he was a freshman in high school. I thought we were joking around…I teased him, asked him what had possessed him to think that a senior would like him back. And then I told him he should get over himself and…he didn't take it well." She exhaled. "It happened while Joey was in rehab, which is the only reason no one found out about it till now. I didn't tell anyone until today, when I figured out that Leon might hurt Velma to get to her sister."</p><p>"Rhat rid he do to roo?" asked Scooby, horrified. One look around at the others told him they were feeling the same way.</p><p>Julie swallowed and pulled the collar of her sweater aside.</p><p>A long surgical scar ran the length of her collarbone.</p><p>The teens gasped, and Julie gazed at them.</p><p>"He pushed me. I hit a desk on my way down and broke my collarbone." Her voice was barely a whisper. "He said it was an accident, that he hadn't meant to hurt me so badly, so I told the doctors at the hospital that I had fallen into the desk on my own." She shrugged at the scar. "They needed to perform surgery to fix it."</p><p>Everyone stared at her, aghast.</p><p>Julie took another shaky breath, and her voice was a bit stronger when she spoke again. "So... you can see why I'm worried about Velma." She pulled the collar of her sweater back up to hide the scar.</p><p>Shaggy felt his hands clench into fists so tight that his fingernails dug into his palms.</p><p>"So where are they now?" asked Marcie, who looked like she was about to be sick.</p><p>"We're not sure," Felix said. "He's not at home. We looked everywhere. He's not in the house and like we said before, he's not answering his phone."</p><p>"We do have a few ideas," Priya told them. "He grew up here, so he knows the area well. There's an empty shed behind his parents' house in the Oak Pond neighborhood. We used to rehearse there before we rented our own place. Or maybe somewhere on campus, probably the fine arts building – he knows it the best. Or…he could have taken her out of town." She looked reluctant to even bring up this last point.</p><p>Shaggy felt all the breath go out of him and he sat down hard in his chair. Scooby laid his head on Shaggy's knee, and both Fred and Daphne came over to place comforting hands on his shoulders. Shaggy could feel Daphne trembling with suppressed sobs, and he gripped her hand tightly. Fred took Daphne's other hand, and for the first time in months, all four of them were connected.</p><p>"What should we do?" asked Daphne, her voice shaky.</p><p>"I'm thinking..." Fred clutched Daphne's hand, his face contorted in concentration. He glanced from Scooby to Daphne to Shaggy and back several times in quick succession. "Okay. Here's the plan: We'll split up. The gang and I will go to campus and check out the fine arts building. The rest of you, go to Leon's parent's place. You know them better, so that'll be less suspicious than us knocking on their door. Once we figure out where Velma is, we'll rendezvous and set a trap for Leon."</p><p>"What if he left town with her?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>Fred clenched his jaw. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he murmured.</p><p>"What can I do to help?" asked Tony.</p><p>Fred sighed. "Call the sheriff," he said reluctantly. Scooby felt his eyebrows shoot up. Fred never called Sheriff Stone if he could help it. It spoke to the seriousness of the situation, Scooby supposed, that Fred wanted Sheriff Stone involved. "Tell him everything that's happened. We'll call you when we find her, and then you can bring the sheriff along."</p><p>Everyone nodded in agreement.</p><p>"Are we ready?" asked Shaggy, finally rising from his seat.</p><p>Daphne nodded. "Yes."</p><p>"Let's go, gang," said Fred.</p><p>Scooby said nothing, just followed the others resolutely.</p><p>"Fleachy, you want to come get the sheriff with me?" asked Tony.</p><p>Marcie nodded and made to follow him.</p><p>Suddenly, Shaggy stopped walking. "Like, wait a minute." He turned around and, feeling magnanimous, held his hand out to Marcie. "Do you want to come with us?"</p><p>Marcie blinked at him. "Excuse me?"</p><p>"I know you're worried about her too," he said. "And if I were you, it would like, make me crazy to sit around and wait for news."</p><p>Marcie fixed him with a gaze, seeming torn. But eventually, she shook her head no.</p><p>"It should be you," she told him quietly. "All of you," she said to the rest of the gang. "She was so upset with herself, for the things she said before spring break. She blamed herself for the break up. And she wanted to fix it, desperately. She'd murder me for saying this, but I know she misses you guys." She took a deep breath. "You should be the ones to rescue her."</p><p>Marcie gently touched Shaggy's arm, and a look of understanding passed between the two of them. He nodded once, then followed the others out the front door and into the rain.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Great Escape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back! Enjoy the second part chapter 15! Warnings: language, peril, violence, and some kissing. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 15, part 2: The Great Escape</strong>
</p><p>The rain hammered down on the roof of the Mystery Machine as Fred pealed out of the neighborhood. "Shag, Scoob," he called to the backseat. "Take an inventory of the supplies back there. I need to figure out our options for traps."</p><p>Quickly, Shaggy and Scooby began sorting through the miscellaneous trap items that Fred had. While they were busy with the ropes, nets, and hooks, Daphne watched Fred drive. She could almost see the gears in his brain turning.</p><p>"Do you have a plan?" she dared to ask.</p><p>Fred shook his head. "Not yet. I need to see where he's keeping her before I know for sure. The logistics of the location matter to the kind of trap I set."</p><p>Daphne whimpered slightly and looked out the window, where lightning continued to sporadically illuminate the sky and raindrops chased each other down the windowpane. Usually <em>she </em>was the one in trouble, and as scary as that always was, it was much more terrifying to be on this side of things. At least when Daphne got kidnapped, she knew she was alive and that the gang would find her eventually. She didn't know if Velma was okay – or if she believed they'd come for her. "I hope we're not too late," she murmured.</p><p>"We won't be," Fred said, reaching out for her hand and giving it a tight squeeze.</p><p>Unbidden tears pricked Daphne's eyes at the familiar gesture. "I was so mad at her," she whispered. "For keeping secrets…and then for telling mine." She shut her eyes and let the tears slip down her cheeks. "But I'm not angry anymore. I haven't been for weeks. What if I never get to tell her that?"</p><p>"Of course you'll get to tell her," said Fred, forcefully. He would not allow his mind to go somewhere so dark.</p><p>By the time they arrived on campus, the rain was coming down in sheets. They parked behind Darrow Hall and hustled up the slope from the parking lot, trying to shield themselves from the rain as best as they could.</p><p>"This building is enormous," Fred said as they entered. They had slipped through a back entrance and now found themselves standing in a small lobby near a recital hall. "So we should split up, we'll cover more ground that way."</p><p>Scooby shook himself dry and the others stepped out of the way. When he was finished, he looked up at everyone else. "Ro," he said, surprising them all.</p><p>"Like what do you mean, 'no?'" asked Shaggy.</p><p>Even if they did have a better chance of finding Velma by splitting up, Scooby was nervous about it. Like Fred had said, the building was huge, and what if Velma needed help immediately? They couldn't wait for everyone to find each other if her safety hung in the balance. So Scooby pointed to his nose. "Rye can rmell her," he stated.</p><p>Daphne raised her eyebrows. "Jeepers. Scooby is right. We can use his nose to find Velma."</p><p>Fred nodded. "All right, Scooby. Lead the way."</p><p>Scooby closed his eyes. If Velma had been in this building at all, the natural air currents would waft her scent to him eventually. One nostril twitched, and he put his nose to the ground. He smelled something familiar – it was faint, but it was unmistakably hers.</p><p>"Rhis way," he commanded, dashing off to the right towards a flight of stairs.</p><p>The others zoomed after him, climbing up the staircase and arriving in the main hallway. Every now and then, Scooby would stop, put his nose to the ground to find the scent again, then speed off in a new direction. By the time they arrived at a door that said "Library Reading Room," everyone was out of breath. Scooby stopped outside the door and studied it.</p><p>"Is she…in there?" asked Daphne, clutching a stitch in her side.</p><p>Scooby blinked at the door. "Rye rhink so," he murmured.</p><p>"Let's look inside," Fred whispered, turning towards the decorative translucent windows on either side of the door. "I want to see the layout."</p><p>The gang peered through the windows and discovered they were looking at the top portion of a two-level room. The area they could see was filled with bookcases and tables. Several soft-looking couches lined the walls, and a wooden banister separated the surrounding balcony of the reading room from the rest of the fine arts library. It was difficult to see many details because of the glass-block style of the windows beside the door. Fred signaled for the others to follow him down the wall, where the windows became more transparent, and they could see the room below.</p><p>Shaggy's mouth went dry as he recognized it. He and Velma had gotten lost in this room together during their prospective student tour last summer. He could see the top of the checkout computer and the desk it sat upon. The tall imposing rows of file cabinets cast shadows throughout the room, which was already dark from the storm outside. The only light came from a small lamp on the checkout counter – by the light of which he could see Velma and Leon staring at each other. Leon leaned nonchalantly against the counter while Velma sat in a wooden chair. Her hands were bound behind her back and attached to the chair with duct tape.</p><p>"That bastard like, tied her up," Shaggy whispered, full of rage. Then he felt his stomach clench as he noticed the glimmer of a knife in Leon's hand. "Zoinks," he breathed, his fury devolving into fear.</p><p>"Shh," Fred warned. He cupped his hands around his eyes and peered into the room, taking it in. Daphne, who had also noticed the knife, wrenched her gaze away from Velma to look at Fred. She saw his eyes wandering from the banister railing to the space below where Velma and Leon sat.</p><p>"Do you have a plan?" she murmured.</p><p>"Yes," he said. "But we need materials from the Mystery Machine. Okay, listen close everyone. Daphne and I will go get the supplies. Shaggy, call Tony and the others and let them know what's going on, and to bring the sheriff."</p><p>Shaggy didn't take his eyes off the window as he pulled out his phone to call Tony, and Fred and Daphne dashed through the hall. They sprinted back down the stairs and burst through the back door out into the storm.</p><p>"What's the plan for a trap, Fred?" Daphne shouted when they arrived at the Mystery Machine. She had to shout in order to be heard. The rain was pelting them – they were soaked to the skin within minutes of exiting the building.</p><p>"A classic net drop," he said, loading his arms with hooks and rope out of the back of the van. "No pulley systems. No levels and fulcrums. No Rube Goldberg. This'll be simple, just you and me. We'll string up a large net between the banisters, and then drop it down on him once he's in position."</p><p>"But won't that catch Velma in the trap too?" asked Daphne, helping him to gather the items.</p><p>"No," he replied. "Shaggy and Scooby will create a diversion to lead him away from Velma."</p><p>"Fred!" Daphne gasped. "Leon is dangerous. Priya told us that he's unhinged – we know what he did to Julie, and you saw that knife! We can't ask Shaggy and Scooby to put themselves in danger like that."</p><p>"We don't need them to actually act as bait," Fred told her. "They just need to distract him. Shaggy can throw his voice, or Scooby can knock something over. But it's the only way this works. Velma is tied up. Defenseless. She's the one in danger right now. And I'm guessing that Shaggy will do whatever it takes to protect her, if he feels about her the same way I feel about you."</p><p>Daphne gazed at him, her breath catching in her throat.</p><p>"I miss you!" she blurted out before she could stop herself.</p><p>Fred stopped gathering trap materials and turned to stare at her.</p><p>Daphne hadn't meant for it to slip out. It had been months since he'd broken up with her, and she knew she didn't deserve his forgiveness. But she was so full of fear and regret, she just rolled with it, consequences be damned. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about NYU," she continued. "I never wanted to hurt you, and I feel terrible that I did. I might not get a chance to make up with Velma, but I'll never forgive myself if I don't apologize to you. You're the most important person in my life, and it makes me sick that I hurt you. I'm so sorry for everything. I just…I miss you so much."</p><p>The only sound now was the hammering of the rain as it splashed down from the heavens, and the claps of thunder which were growing steadily louder. Or was that the pounding of Daphne's heart?</p><p>"What about Red?" Fred asked after several long moments.</p><p>Daphne furrowed her brow in confusion. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>"I thought the two of you were…" Fred couldn't make himself say the phrase <em>back together.</em></p><p>But he didn't have to say it. Daphne understood his meaning and immediately shook her head. "I never wanted that with him. I only wanted to make you jealous. I'm sorry – I shouldn't have done that to you. But I promise you, there's no contest. It's never been Red. It's always been you. You don't have to believe this, and I would understand if you didn't, but…" She bit her lip and paused as tears came to her eyes. She wiped them and the rainwater away, and her voice trembled when she finally said, "I love you, Freddie. I always have."</p><p>They stared at each other as the seconds ticked by.</p><p>In the next moment, Fred had dropped the items he was holding and taken Daphne in his arms to kiss her hard on the mouth.</p><p>Daphne tossed the materials in her arms back into the van and clutched herself as close to Fred as she could. Their clothes and skin were slick with rainwater, and Daphne's tears mingled with the downpour from above, but neither of them cared. Fred kissed Daphne like she was oxygen and he couldn't breathe.</p><p>After an eternity, they finally broke apart, Fred trying to dry the rain and tears from Daphne's face.</p><p>"I love you too, Daphne," he told her, seemingly trying to hold back tears of his own. "I love you so much. I never should have let my temper get the better of me... I'm so sorry. I love you."</p><p>"I love you too Freddie," Daphne smiled through her tears. They kissed again, softer this time, and so familiar. In that moment there was nothing else – no rain, no thunder, no lightning. Just Fred and the feeling of his arms around her, and his lips on hers. He was everything she had longed for, everything she had missed. She never wanted to be apart from him as long as she lived.</p><p>"And you <em>will </em>get a chance to make up with Velma," he murmured when they broke apart again. "I promise."</p><p>They kissed once more but didn't let themselves linger this time – they had a job to do. Fred helped Daphne gather the ropes and hooks into her arms before grabbing the net, and they raced back into the building. They were dripping rainwater everywhere, but they didn't slow down.</p><p>They found Shaggy and Scooby where they'd left them at the windows.</p><p>"Did you call Tony?" Fred asked as quietly as he could manage.</p><p>"Like yeah," Shaggy whispered. "He and Marcie were already with the sheriff, so they called the band. They're like, on their way."</p><p>"How's Velma?" Daphne murmured, wringing out her hair before peering through the window. Not much seemed to have changed – Velma was still restrained to the chair, and Leon was still leaning on the counter in front of her with the knife.</p><p>"Still alive," Shaggy replied in wry tone that didn't quite disguise his worry. "I think they're talking, but I like, can't make out what they're saying."</p><p>"Well, we'll be able to eavesdrop on them better in a minute," Fred told him. "Here's the plan."</p><p>Shaggy and Scooby listened intently as Fred explained how they would sneak into the upper room so he and Daphne could rig up a trap. Once it was in position, Shaggy and Scooby would lure Leon away from Velma right into the path of the net, so that Fred and Daphne could incapacitate him.</p><p>"Don't do <em>anything </em>until the trap is in place," Fred reminded them. "And seriously – be careful."</p><p>"Like you don't have to tell us twice, man," Shaggy replied.</p><p>"Reah," Scooby agreed.</p><p>Fred steeled himself and took a breath. "Okay. Quietly, now." With a finger to his lips, he cautiously eased open the door to the reading room and everyone snuck inside. Fred signaled for everyone to get down on their hands and knees so they could crawl to the railing and peer down to where Leon and Velma were. Fred and Daphne were still soaking wet and tried not to squelch on the carpet.</p><p>"So why even leave me notes in the first place?" Velma was saying. She looked calm, unflappable, but Shaggy could hear the hint of fear in her tone. It made his heart twist with terror and agony.</p><p>"I needed to get to you somehow," Leon replied. He was still holding the knife. "That's why I volunteered the band to play your prom. And then at our first meeting, when you showed us that secret admirer note, I figured that was an easy way in. Although I thought that you would meddle a little more to try to figure out who was sending the notes. I didn't expect it to take so long for you to figure out there were two people – and that I was one of them." He smirked. "I understand your need to prove how smart you are. Dottie was the same way. Would you have worked harder to solve the mystery if there had been a code you needed to crack? A Caesar shift? A Vigenere cipher?"</p><p>Velma didn't respond, just clenched her jaw.</p><p>Fred quietly crawled to the other side of the balcony, being careful not to let the ropes and hooks in his clenched fists make any noise as he dragged them along the floor. The others watched him cautiously. Below, Velma and Leon seemed not to notice any activity from above. Once Fred had begun to tie off his section of the trap, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby glanced back down into the lower part of the library.</p><p>"What had you hoped would happen?" Velma asked Leon. "When you started leaving me notes? You said you hadn't expected I would come find you. What had you wanted me to do instead?"</p><p>Leon chuckled. "This is where I suppose my ego got the better of me," he said. "I'd thought that Dottie would have told you about the relationship we'd had in high school, and you would have made the connection. I had hoped that you would call her when you figured out who I was. Sisters can be jealous, and I thought that she'd start to feel that way when she heard all the things I was writing to you."</p><p>"You mean all the creepy things?" Velma snarled.</p><p>Fred had finished tying off his section of the trap and caught Daphne's eye. He indicated that he was about to toss the other end of the rope across the balcony to Daphne. Shaggy waited with bated breath – if Daphne didn't catch the rope, it would drop down into the main area of the room. The fine arts library was large enough that Leon or Velma might not notice, but none of them wanted to take that chance.</p><p>Luckily, Fred threw the end of the rope in a high arc, and Daphne only fumbled slightly. Shaggy breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the rope clenched tightly in Daphne's hand, and went back to watching Velma and Leon's interaction below.</p><p>Leon smirked. "I never meant any of them, you know. No offense. I pretended I was writing those letters to Dottie. I only wanted her, and you were my way of getting to her. I admit, I got a little impatient towards the end, especially after you stopped coming by the house for band practices. But I think this will work better anyway." Leon grinned. "Now that you're here, I can use you as leverage. Where is she these days? Still in Seattle?" He shook his head. "I was so angry when she left town to go to college out there. But I bet she'll come back to rescue you."</p><p>Velma glowered at him.</p><p>"It won't work as well as you think," she told him. "You must know that she's married."</p><p>The faintest flicker of rage flashed across Leon's face. Evidently, he either hadn't known, or he didn't like to be reminded.</p><p>"She met him in college." Velma continued, glaring at him balefully. "They have a baby, a little girl. She's almost two."</p><p>"Stop talking," Leon snarled, but Velma ignored him.</p><p>"You can keep me here as long as you want, but nothing you do or say is going to make Dottie abandon her family," she told him. Velma was frightened – Shaggy could tell from the slight tremor in her voice – but she seemed to be deliberately antagonizing Leon now. "She cares about them more than anything else – and that includes you."</p><p>"Shut up!" Leon yelled, standing up fully.</p><p>"You know, she never mentioned you, not once," Velma shouted back. "I never heard your name before we met the band at the concert hall. Do you know what I think? I think Dottie didn't even know you existed. Why would she? She was a cool, beautiful senior, and you were just a dorky freshman who pined after her. You started playing piano to get close to her but that didn't work, so you gave her those earrings to try to win her affections, but that didn't work either. And now here it is, years later, and you've still never gotten over your pathetic crush on a girl who was so far out of your league that she was the brightest star in the galaxy and you were a tiny speck of space dust, thousands of lightyears away. So you need to <em>get over yourself</em>, because Dottie will never –"</p><p>WHAP!</p><p>Everyone on the balcony stifled a gasp as Leon backhanded Velma across the face so hard that her glasses flew off and landed with a clatter two feet away. Velma let out a cry of shock and pain.</p><p>Shaggy shot to his feet in a rage, but Daphne frantically pulled him back down to a crouch.</p><p>"Shaggy, no!" she hissed.</p><p>Anger burned him like fire. "Did you…like…he hit her!" he seethed, trembling with fury.</p><p>"Yes, I know," Daphne whispered, her shoulders shaking with anger and her cheeks very pink – it seemed to have taken all her self-control not to jump to her feet as well. "And I'm furious, obviously, but we have to be smart. We can't let him see us, otherwise all of this was for nothing."</p><p>Fred had just crawled back over from the other side of the balcony, looking very white in the face. Shaggy glanced back down at Velma, who was still gasping as Leon glowered over her. She'd clearly had no idea that the phrase <em>get over yourself </em>would trigger him.</p><p>"Don't you ever talk to me like that again, you little bitch!" he snarled. He pulled out the knife again and held it threateningly up to her throat. Shaggy gripped the balustrade so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Velma, still panting and whimpering, avoided Leon's gaze until he put the knife back down, and only then did Shaggy relax his grip.</p><p>However, Leon picked up the duct tape and forcefully tore a strip off and roughly slapped it over Velma's mouth before she could even scream. "That should shut you up," he said menacingly.</p><p>Daphne's hands trembled – she couldn't hold the rope steady enough to attach it to the railing. Fred put his hands over hers, and the warmth of his touch calmed her. She peered up at him gratefully, then glanced back at Shaggy, who was still shaking with fury and fear.</p><p>"Help me and Freddie tie this off," she murmured to him. "Then you and Scooby can distract Leon so we can get Velma out of here, okay?"</p><p>Shaggy took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. "Okay. Like that sound good to you, Scoob?"</p><p>There was no response.</p><p>Shaggy whirled around, but he didn't see Scooby anywhere. "Scoob?" he whisper-called.</p><p>Daphne's eyes were wide. "I didn't notice where he went," she murmured.</p><p>"Neither did I," Fred added, looking anxious.</p><p>Shaggy's heart pounded. "Scooby Doo," he hissed. "Where are you?"</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Leon slapping Velma had been the last straw. The minute he'd seen her glasses flying, Scooby had slunk away from the others and crept down the stairs as quietly as he could. He knew he was diverting from the plan, that the trap wasn't in motion yet, but he had to get Velma away from this crazy person, before he hurt her worse. Like he'd hurt Julie.</p><p>So Scooby was going to do what he did best: create a diversion.</p><p>Why was it that when there was a ghost involved, Scooby's initial response was to run away, but now, when there was a human monster, he charged bravely into battle? His fight-or-flight response seemed to understand the difference, even if Scooby himself didn't.</p><p>As he snuck between file cabinets, he tried to keep a close eye on Velma. Leon had put the knife down, though Scooby knew it was only a matter of time before he picked it up again. But how to draw him away? Glancing at the file cabinet behind him, Scooby got an idea. It was a little reckless, but it was the only way he saw to get Leon to leave Velma's side. Clenching his teeth to brace himself, Scooby donkey-kicked the file cabinet with his hind leg.</p><p>The cabinet didn't fall, but the loud, resounding <em>clank </em>caused heads from all over the room to whip around. There were too many other file cabinets in the way for Leon to see Scooby, though the dog noticed Shaggy, Daphne, and Fred looking down on him from the balcony above with thunderstruck expressions.</p><p>"Who's there?" Leon called, eyes wild and voice angry. He picked the knife back up and began making his way towards the source of the noise. Scooby heard him coming to investigate and crept away between file cabinets, deftly avoiding Leon. Eventually he arrived at the checkout desk and the chair where Velma was tied up.</p><p>"Relma," he whispered as he approached.</p><p>She whirled her head towards the sound of his voice. Her eyes widened and she made a muffled noise of disbelief. Scooby knew that without her glasses, Velma couldn't see him very well, but she still recognized his voice.</p><p>"Rye'm ronna ret you out of rere," he promised, starting to gnaw at the duct tape attaching her wrists to the chair.</p><p>She gave another frenzied mumble that Scooby thought sounded like, "My glasses."</p><p>"Ron't worry," he told her. He would get her glasses, but he needed to get her free first. He knew that as soon as Leon realized there was nothing in the direction the noise had come from, he'd return to Velma. Scooby needed to get her out of there before that happened. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Shaggy, Daphne and Fred above him working frantically to finish tying off the other section of the trap.</p><p>Scooby continued to gnaw through the duct tape as quickly as his teeth would allow. He was almost finished…</p><p>Suddenly, they heard Leon stomping back towards them. Frantically, Scooby bit through the final fiber. There was still the duct tape that bound Velma's wrists behind her back, but at least she wasn't attached to the chair anymore. She could escape. And now it was time for the second thing Scooby was best at – acting as bait.</p><p>"Relma," Scooby whispered. "Hide."</p><p>Velma ducked under the counter a moment before Leon reappeared. For a split second, the young, bespectacled man stared at the empty chair confused. Then he noticed the huge Great Dane in front of the counter and dropped his knife in astonishment.</p><p>"Scooby?" Leon muttered. He blinked in disbelief.</p><p>Scooby just glowered at him. "Come and ret re," he challenged.</p><p>And he took off.</p><p>Leon, realizing that Velma had escaped and Scooby was to blame, stampeded after the dog. "Get back here, you mangy mutt!" he shouted as he chased after him. Scooby, desperate to get away, pushed down a file cabinet to hinder Leon's progress. As the dog ran, he apologized silently to the staff and faculty members who'd have to clean it up – especially as it crashed into another file cabinet, and set off a chain reaction of falling, clanking metal. The noise was deafening.</p><p>Shaggy watched all this from the balcony above, his heart pounding in his chest. Scooby could certainly keep Leon distracted, but Velma was still a sitting duck. A <em>blind </em>sitting duck. At any point, Leon could abandon his pursuit of Scooby to try to find Velma again. And Shaggy didn't like Velma's odds. He didn't like Scooby's odds either, for that matter. He needed to help them both.</p><p>"Fred!" he cried – he was able to be loud now, the noise from the falling file cabinets drowned him out.</p><p>"We've got this," Fred replied. "Daphne and I can finish the trap – you go get Velma and Scooby."</p><p>Shaggy bolted. Leon and Scooby were far from the staircase now, and the file cabinets closest to him were still standing upright. He knew Velma was hiding behind the checkout desk but discovered her glasses and Leon's knife on the floor nearby. He picked them both up and put them in his pocket before he ducked behind the checkout counter, where he found Velma trying to wriggle out of the duct tape. She was facing away from Shaggy so she didn't notice when he knelt beside her.</p><p>"Velma," he murmured, reaching out to touch her hand. He felt a surge of electricity as his fingers made contact with hers.</p><p>Her head shot up and she whirled around. She still couldn't see without her glasses. Everything was just shape and shadow. But she recognized that voice. And that touch.</p><p>Shaggy reached into his pocket and pulled out Velma's glasses. Gently, he placed them on her face. "Like it's me, Velm."</p><p>She blinked at him, as though unable to believe her eyes.</p><p>As carefully as he could, Shaggy removed the duct tape that gagged her.</p><p>Velma gasped as her mouth was freed, still staring wildly. "Shaggy?" she whispered, and his heart wrenched. It had been so long since he'd heard her say his name.</p><p>He didn't respond, simply reached behind her and used Leon's knife to cut off the duct tape that bound her wrists together. His face was so close to hers that each freckle on her cheeks stood out.</p><p>As soon as she was free, Velma closed the slight distance between them and threw her arms around Shaggy. He froze, but just for a second. He'd nearly forgotten how it felt to hold her, to be held by her. But now that they were here, the sensation was so familiar that it was as though the last two months had never happened. He embraced her in return and deeply breathed in her familiar scent that reminded him of vanilla and cinnamon. He suddenly became aware that she was trembling, and held her closer.</p><p>Velma had spent so much of the evening trying to be brave, trying not to let Leon see how frightened she was, that she felt physically and emotionally exhausted. And now that she was safe in Shaggy's arms, she had no reason keep up the pretense. Her throat burned with everything she'd longed to say for the past two months, every regret, every apology, but none of it came out. She just wanted to hold him, to be near him. She buried her face into his shoulder, which knocked her glasses slightly askew, but she didn't care. She just gripped him tighter, and he responded in kind – he had no intention of letting her go.</p><p>At least, not until Scooby bolted around the corner behind them, with Leon in hot pursuit. Shaggy and Velma both jumped apart instinctively, but Scooby simply barreled past them. "Run!" he barked.</p><p>Leon's angry eyes flared as he noticed Shaggy and Velma behind the desk.</p><p>"Let's go!" Velma shrieked, hurriedly rising. She gripped Shaggy's wrist as they followed Scooby out into the center of the room. Cabinets crashed to the floor in their wake.</p><p>"Get back here!" Leon boomed, thundering after them.</p><p>"Daphne, NOW!" Fred's voice came from above.</p><p>There was a snap and a whoosh, and suddenly, Leon was suspended above the ground in a net. Scooby, Shaggy, and Velma clutched each other at the foot of the stairs as Daphne and Fred came rushing down towards them.</p><p>Daphne threw her arms around Velma as soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "Oh my God," she sobbed, as her panic gave way to relief. "Oh my God, you're okay!"</p><p>"I am now," Velma replied, also feeling emotional and hugging Daphne back. Daphne was soaking wet, but Velma didn't care. "How on Earth did you know where I was?"</p><p>"We guessed," said Fred as he also came over to join in the embrace. He was wet too but again, nobody minded. "Marcie called us after she got your voicemail, and then the band figured out that Leon had you, so we tried the fine arts building and Scooby tracked your scent. Then Daphne and I rigged up a trap while Shaggy rescued you and Scooby distracted Leon."</p><p>The aforementioned villain was still struggling in the net, trying fruitlessly to free himself. Shaggy was grateful he'd grabbed Leon's knife.</p><p>Velma disentangled herself from Daphne and Fred to kneel in front of Scooby.</p><p>"Thank you," she said, looking him directly in the eye to convey the gratitude she felt. "You put yourself in danger for me…and I didn't even deserve it."</p><p>"Rhat are roo ralking about?" Scooby asked, confused.</p><p>Velma clamped her lips together as tears suddenly sprang to her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she told him, her voice shaky. She glanced up at the others. "To all of you. For what I did to you…" She looked at Daphne and Fred. "…And to you…" Her gaze turned to Shaggy and Scooby. "…To all of us." She took another deep breath. "I made such a huge mistake when I left the gang. I said all kinds of things I didn't mean. I was just…so angry, and so hurt. I took it out on you all, and I should never have done that. It doesn't matter if our friendships make any logical sense – you're the best friends I've ever had, and that's a fact. I'm so sorry for lying and telling secrets and hurting you all." A tear escaped, and she quickly brushed it away. "Can you ever forgive me?"</p><p>Daphne, who had already begun to cry, knelt beside Velma and embraced her again. "I already have," she murmured through her tears.</p><p>"Ro have Rye," Scooby agreed, joining in the hug.</p><p>"Me too," Fred said, his throat tight.</p><p>"Like same," Shaggy mumbled, his eyes also swimming.</p><p>In moments, everyone had joined the group hug. They were a gang again. Together. United. Whole.</p><p>The main door to the library burst open at that moment, and a barrage of people stormed in. Sheriff Stone and his deputies led the way, followed closely by Marcie and Tony, with the members of Heavy Meddle bringing up the rear. They apprehensively glanced up at the net holding Leon, and he stopped struggling when he noticed them.</p><p>"Holy…" Sheriff Stone muttered, glancing around at the chaos of the fallen file cabinets and the trap that had been rigged up from the banister.</p><p>"Velma!" Tony and Marcie cried in unison, rushing towards the gang. Everyone rose to their feet and made way for Tony and Marcie to embrace their small, bespectacled friend.</p><p>"I'm glad you're okay, Dinks," Tony said as he released her.</p><p>But Marcie kept Velma in a fierce embrace, locking her arms tightly around her. When she finally pulled away, the two girls looked at each other for a very long moment. Shaggy watched, heart in his throat.</p><p>"Leon Berger," Sheriff Stone was saying, which caused everyone to glance over at him. Marcie and Velma stepped apart. The sheriff and his deputies had cut Leon down and were now putting him in handcuffs. "You are under arrest for the stalking, harassment, and abduction of a minor. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say…"</p><p>"I'll get you for this!" Leon bellowed, interrupting the sheriff as he led him out of the room. "I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids and your damn dog! You'll pay for this!"</p><p>He kept shouting all the way down the hall, but he became increasingly less coherent the farther away he got.</p><p>A deputy looked over at the gang. "Listen," he said. "We're going to need to collect statements from everyone. If you all could come down to the station with us, it shouldn't take too long."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Everyone's parents were at the police station by the time they arrived, much to the gang's chagrin. The Dinkley's fussed over Velma as everyone took turns going into the interview room to give their statements. The members of Heavy Meddle went first, then Tony, Marcie, and each member of the gang. In between interviews, everyone filled the parents in on the full story – the secret admirer notes, Leon's infatuation with Dottie, and how everyone had discovered his involvement. By the time it was Velma's turn to give a statement, the parents had been caught up and while they were none too pleased with the circumstances, they felt better knowing that the danger for the teens had passed.</p><p>As Velma was led into the interview room, she and Marcie shared a small grin. Shaggy watched, a tight pain in his chest.</p><p>"Hey," Marcie said, once the door to the interview room had closed behind Velma. She looked at Joey. "What are you going to do about prom now?"</p><p>Joey furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"</p><p>Daphne, who had been resting her head on Fred's shoulder, lifted her face up to glance at the band. "Jeepers. That's right – you don't have a bass player anymore."</p><p>Julie shrugged, unconcerned. "Well, we don't necessarily need one. Bass adds an extra layer, but it's not strictly necessary. We may need to finagle the set list a little, but we can do it." She looked at the gang conspiratorially. "What do you say? You want to come by for one final meeting on Monday? We'll bring the pizza."</p><p>"Rizza!?" Scooby exclaimed excitedly. Everyone chuckled.</p><p>"Yeah, that sounds great," Fred answered, bringing an arm around Daphne, who snuggled into him once more.</p><p>Tony indicated them. "So are you two back together, then?"</p><p>Daphne glanced up at Fred. "It's your call, Freddie," she whispered.</p><p>He looked at her seriously. "Being apart from you just made me realize how much we belong together," he told her. He ran a thumb across her cheek as he gazed at her. "I made a huge mistake breaking up with you. I'm so sorry. Will you be my girl again?"</p><p>Daphne smiled softly at him. "I've always been your girl," she murmured.</p><p>They kissed until Mayor Jones cleared his throat, and then they broke apart, slightly embarrassed. They'd forgotten the parents were all still there.</p><p>"Uh, in fact," Fred said, desperate to change the subject. "I think the whole gang is back together now. Right?"</p><p>"Reah!" Scooby nodded happily.</p><p>Tony grinned wide for one and all. "Well hey, that's great news! Everyone's back to normal now, huh?"</p><p><em>No, </em>Shaggy thought to himself, glancing at the door through which Velma had disappeared. <em>Not quite.</em></p><p>He and Velma could never go back to the way they'd been. Scooby's reaction two months ago had made that pretty clear. He'd reacted to the news just as Shaggy had imagined he would, and he couldn't put him through that again. Besides…now there was the Marcie factor. Shaggy was pretty sure she'd almost tried to kiss Velma earlier this evening. And besides, she'd admitted that she'd had a crush on Velma for a long time, possibly longer than Shaggy had even known her. Marcie been the original secret admirer, and the only reason she hadn't confessed her feelings to Velma earlier was because Shaggy had been standing in the way. And after how they'd broken up, Shaggy was pretty sure that Velma had moved on.</p><p>She had said that she regretted leaving the gang – not that she regretted leaving him.</p><p>The answer was clear. They were done. They were over. And he had to let her go.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. A Thousand Years</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! I’ve had scenes from this chapter in my head for like nine or ten years at this point, so I’m SO EAGER to have finally written them down. I’ve made this chapter a bit longer than I normally would, but I hope you enjoy anyway! Warnings: some language, a teensy-weensy bit of angst (like miniscule…you probably won’t even notice it), and plenty of kissing. Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera. The line about consciousness-altering love is from the TV show Lost, and the conversation Fred and Daphne have on the dance floor is inspired by SDMI. Lyrics from "A Thousand Years" belong to Christina Perri.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 16: A Thousand Years</strong>
</p><p>"Everyone's staring at us," Velma pointed out on Monday morning.</p><p>"Let them," Daphne replied, linking one arm through Velma's and another through Fred's. "They should know that Mystery Incorporated is back."</p><p>That morning Fred had picked them up for school in the Mystery Machine as he'd always done in the past, and as the five of them walked from the van to the school entrance, heads were indeed turning. Velma noticed Marcie across the parking lot, smiling brilliantly at the sight of Velma walking with the gang. She also spotted Tony, who flashed his signature lopsided grin and a thumbs-up at them as they passed. It was amazing how easy it was for the gang to fall back into a rhythm, almost as if they'd never split up at all. It felt so good to be back together again – there was a kind of invincibility that they felt from being together, so that the stares didn't bother them.</p><p>Fred kissed the top of Daphne's head and patted Shaggy affectionately on the shoulder. He barely even cared that final exams started today, he was so happy.</p><p>It was with reluctance that he left his friends to go make morning announcements, but he and Daphne did share a very lingering kiss in the hallway – much to the chagrin of Maureen Fischer and Red Herring, who happened to be nearby.</p><p>In homeroom, the others had just settled into their seats when the announcements began. Everyone chattered quietly through the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade representatives, but hushed once Fred began speaking.</p><p>"Good morning Coolsville High!" he crowed, sounding much cheerier than he had on the announcements these last couple months. "It's the first day of finals week, seniors – good luck! Yearbooks will be handed out in homeroom this week, so make sure to pick yours up. Don't forget that if you'd like to include a senior quote in the graduation program, you have until this Friday, May 28th to email your choice to the SGA. Graduation rehearsals begin next week, so keep an ear out for those announcements. Also, the senior prom will be held here at the school this Saturday, May 29th. If you still need to buy tickets to the dance, you can do so during all lunch periods or at the door.</p><p>"And speaking of the prom, I have one more very important announcement regarding the dance. This message is for Daphne Blake."</p><p>Everyone, including Mr. Aiken, swiveled their heads towards the redhead. Daphne felt herself flush scarlet.</p><p>"Daphne," Fred said through the PA system. "We've been through so much since the day we both walked into Mr. Aiken's homeroom on the first day of our freshman year. We started out as something like enemies, and then became friends before we fell in love, and I've been falling in love with you a little bit more every day since. I've been wanting to ask you this question for years, and I'm thrilled that I finally get to do it now: Daphne, will you do me the very great honor of going to the prom with me?"</p><p>There was a short pause as everyone continued to stare at Daphne, though she was no longer aware of them – she felt like she was floating.</p><p>"Mr. Aiken," Fred's voice came through the PA system again, a little hesitant now. "Could you please send her to the front office so she can give me her answer?"</p><p>Daphne glanced over at Mr. Aiken, who appeared to be trying not to laugh.</p><p>"Go, Blake," he told her, grinning.</p><p>Daphne sprinted down the hall, paying no attention to the other kids in her homeroom. She arrived in the main office, breathless, and found Fred standing at the microphone and grinning with a kind of anxious anticipation. Mrs. McDougall, the secretary, sat behind a long desk nearby pretending to file documents, but clearly eavesdropping. Her smile was even bigger than Mr. Aiken's had been. Even Principal O'Donovan had popped his head out of his office to watch the exchange.</p><p>But Daphne barely noticed anyone other than Fred.</p><p>"Have you really wanted to ask me to prom for years?" was the first thing she asked him. She was feeling too giddy to cut right to the chase.</p><p>Fred grinned wider. "I had a crush on you for a whole year before we started dating, remember? It gave me a lot of time to plan."</p><p>"Is this how you'd always planned it?"</p><p>"No," Fred admitted. "There was a trap involved in previous versions. But I didn't have time to set anything up. I would have asked you sooner if we hadn't…" he trailed off, not wanting to say <em>broken up.</em></p><p>But Daphne understood his meaning. She swiftly closed the gap between them and threw her arms around him before Fred had time to respond. Their faces moved together into a sweet, gentle kiss that conveyed all the longing, regret, affection, understanding, and love they felt for each other.</p><p>"Ahem," said Principal O'Donovan, whom they'd both forgotten was still there. They broke apart flushed, embarrassed.</p><p>"Sorry," Fred apologized to the principal, who simply raised a stern eyebrow.</p><p>"Are you going to answer him, sweetheart?" Mrs. McDougall piped up.</p><p>Daphne giggled and looked up into Fred's blue eyes, shining with adoration. "Fred Jones," she said with a dazzling smile. "Of course I'll go to prom with you."</p><p>Fred picked her up in a bear hug and spun her around as Daphne gave a soft shriek of surprise.</p><p>"Young man," the principal reprimanded, but good-naturedly.</p><p>"Sorry sir," Fred apologized again, putting Daphne down. Then suddenly, as though he'd just remembered, he pressed the 'talk' button on the microphone. "She said yes!" he whooped.</p><p>From the classrooms that surrounded the main office, they could hear the muffled sounds of applause.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>"So," said Julie that evening when everyone arrived at Tony's for their meeting. The pizza was set up on the kitchen island, and everyone began helping themselves. "How was school?"</p><p>"Great!" Fred exclaimed exuberantly. He and Daphne shared a sly smile, and Scooby good-naturedly rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Reddie asked Raphne to rhe rom," Scooby informed the band.</p><p>"That's wonderful!" Priya exclaimed, eyes shining.</p><p>"My whole homeroom burst into applause when we heard it over the announcements," Tony told them.</p><p>"So did ours," Velma replied, grinning at her smitten friends.</p><p>Daphne nodded and leaned affectionately against Fred's shoulder as he put an arm around her. "It's been a pretty incredible day. The only bad part of it was my trig final. It totally kicked my ass."</p><p>"Oh, you want to compare ass-kickings?" Velma laughed. "I had my AP calc final this morning. That was no picnic."</p><p>"Oh please," Daphne chuckled. "You know you got an A – <em>and</em> a 5 on the AP test."</p><p>"I will like, never understand why the teachers make us take final exams in AP classes," Shaggy sighed. His AP Spanish final was the next day, and he was not looking forward to it. "Like we already took a test for this! Why do we have to do it again?"</p><p>"Reah," Scooby agreed, chomping his pizza. He didn't have to take any exams, of course, but he wanted the others to know he was on their side.</p><p>Fred shook his head blithely. "Well," he pointed out, ever the optimist. "The good news is that after this week, we won't ever have to take a high school final ever again."</p><p>"Like hear, hear," Shaggy remarked, raising a cup of soda. Velma was nearest to him and clinked her cup against his. They made eye contact briefly before Shaggy quickly averted his gaze. He couldn't entertain the thought of getting back together with her. It was never going to happen. Why torture himself? He'd already made up his mind.</p><p>Though, that didn't mean he had to be happy about it.</p><p>"So, ladies," Priya smiled at Daphne and Velma. "Have you decided what you're going to wear to prom?"</p><p>"I just had my final fitting this afternoon after school," Daphne replied with a glow in her cheeks. She was enormously pleased with her prom dress – it was sleeveless and sparkly, and it reached all the way to the floor. And, of course, it was purple. "Do you want to see a picture?"</p><p>"Um, duh!" exclaimed Julie as she and Priya crowded around Daphne's chair. Velma peered over as well, but Daphne stopped Fred, Shaggy, Tony, Joey, and Felix, who were also trying to look.</p><p>"Sorry, girls only," she told them.</p><p>Fred frowned. "Aw come on, Daph. Shouldn't I know what my date is wearing?"</p><p>"Nope!" Daphne sang, smiling.</p><p>Fred shook his head. "Then how will I know what color your corsage should be?"</p><p>"I'll give you a hint…purple," Daphne teased with a wink.</p><p>Everyone laughed, then the girls oohed and ahhed over the dress.</p><p>"What about you, Velma?" asked Julie.</p><p>"I don't have a picture," she replied. "But it's red, with off-the-shoulder sleeves."</p><p>"It sounds lovely," said Priya.</p><p>It did sound lovely. Too bad Shaggy would never see it.</p><p>At the behest of the band, Fred and Daphne recounted the story of the prom-posal. While that was going on, Shaggy took Scooby outside. He was glad he had a few moments to himself, to wallow in his self-pity before he went back inside. He was happy the gang was back together, he really was. But it was hard to be around Velma now that they couldn't go back to the way they'd been. Especially now that Fred and Daphne were better than they'd ever been.</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>Shaggy turned at the sound of the voice, and was surprised to see Julie closing the back door behind her.</p><p>"Like hi," he said. "I just had to take Scooby Doo outside."</p><p>"Sure." Julie nodded.</p><p>In the brief silence that followed, Shaggy reflected on how familiar all this was. Hadn't they started a conversation just like this almost three months before?</p><p>"So," Julie began. "You and Velma…?"</p><p>Shaggy exhaled. "Yeah like…I think that's over." It still hurt to say it. That wasn't comforting.</p><p>Julie looked nearly as crestfallen as Shaggy felt. "Why?"</p><p>"Several reasons." Shaggy began to tick them off on his fingers. "First of all, we broke up. I'll like, take the blame for that – it was my fault it ended. But I was right – when Scooby Doo found out about us, he got like, totally mad. Second, Velma's probably got something going on with Marcie now. Which is like…fine." He couldn't disguise the lie, and he heard it in his voice.</p><p>Julie heard it too. "No it's not," she said softly. "You're not fine, I can tell. I was watching you in there. You miss her."</p><p>Shaggy shrugged and said nothing.</p><p>Julie sighed. "Fred and Daphne got back together. Why can't you guys?"</p><p>Shaggy shook his head. "Because our relationship was never like theirs. It was never so easy, or so open."</p><p>"Well," Julie pointed out. "It might have been if it hadn't been a secret."</p><p>"Yeah like, that's my point," Shaggy told her. "As long as Scooby Doo's not ready, I can't be the kind of partner that Velma deserves."</p><p>"And what kind of partner is that?" asked Julie, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>Shaggy frowned and shrugged. "You know…" he stammered, thinking of Fred and Daphne's relationship. "She like, deserves someone who…loves her. Like real, spectacular, consciousness-altering love."</p><p>"So…the kind <em>you </em>have for her, then?"</p><p>Again, Shaggy said nothing.</p><p>Julie sighed once more. "So, what are you going to do at the prom?"</p><p>Shaggy closed his eyes. "I'm like, not going to prom, Julie," he told her quietly.</p><p>Julie stared at him, aghast. "You're what?"</p><p>"It's gonna be too painful," he replied. "We can't go back to the way we were…so like, I gotta get over her somehow."</p><p>"Or you could tell her you love her!" Julie exclaimed.</p><p>Now it was Shaggy's turn to sigh. He just couldn't make her understand how impossible that was.</p><p>"It's like, too late," he told her. "I already made her wait for me once. It's like, not fair for me to make her keep waiting till Scooby's ready."</p><p>At that moment, Scooby emerged from the forest, and Shaggy headed for the back door.</p><p>"Shaggy…" Julie started.</p><p>But he just shook his head, opened the door, and followed Scooby back inside.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>The day of the senior prom was warm and fair-weathered, both aspects which carried over into the early evening. Daphne took her time styling her hair into an elegant updo and slipped into her violet mermaid gown moments before Fred rang the doorbell. After one final check in the mirror, she rushed down the stairs as fast as she could.</p><p>She found him standing on her porch wearing a crisp white tuxedo with light blue accents, holding out a lavender corsage, and beaming the brightest smile she'd ever seen.</p><p>"Hey…" he murmured, taking her in. "Wow…" He was stunned speechless as he gazed at her. Daphne flushed slightly pink. "You look…amazing," he whispered. "You're gorgeous, Daphne." His face turned a bit red, and Daphne felt her heart turn over.</p><p>"So are you," she told him, deftly clipping a boutonniere to his lapel and kissing him softly on the mouth, which he returned with fervor. When they broke apart, Daphne glanced behind Fred and was surprised to notice not the Mystery Machine parked in front of the house, but a rented limo. She looked at him and he shrugged.</p><p>"My dad convinced me to go for it," he told her. "He said you only have a senior prom once."</p><p>Daphne smiled luminously, and Fred's heart pounded.</p><p>It didn't take them long to arrive at the school, but almost everyone was there already. Balloons and crepe streamers decorated the gym. The band was set up on a large platform near the exits to the locker rooms. Heavy Meddle sounded great and Fred couldn't help tapping his toes to the beat.</p><p>Daphne glanced around the gym at their classmates. Rob King and Laura Greer were dancing nearby, while Sadie MacElroy and Patrick Kutner were snuggled up together on the bleachers. Brandon Michaels and Ashley Hoang were laughing with a group of students on the far side of the gym. Red Herring and several other football players leaned against a wall and watched a group of dancing girls, which included Maureen Fischer, Rachael Amora, and Phoebe Albion. There were a few friendly couples on the dance floor as well – Caleb Walters danced with Ellie Flanders, and Tony Moretti danced with Corinne Faulkner.</p><p>As Fred and Daphne made their way to the dance floor, Daphne noticed Velma enter the gym alone, but looking sensational. She wore a fiery scarlet dress with an A-line silhouette that accented her curves perfectly. Daphne noticed that Velma had opted to leave Dottie's magnetic earrings at home tonight, but someone – probably Madelyn – had helped her put slight waves in her short hair.</p><p>Regardless of how striking Velma looked, Daphne still sighed a bit wistfully No one knew exactly why Shaggy had decided not to come to prom, but their attempts to convince him otherwise had failed. They were disappointed – especially Velma – but there was nothing they could do.</p><p>Daphne caught Velma's eye and waved.</p><p>Velma grinned and waved back. She was about to make her way over to them, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder.</p><p>"Hey," said Marcie, grinning as Velma turned.</p><p>Velma's face broke into a wider grin. "Hi!" she exclaimed. "You look great!" She really did. Marcie wore a buttery yellow ensemble, a color that Velma – with her limited fashion sense – thought suited her quite well.</p><p>Marcie kept grinning, though her cheeks were now tinged a bit pink.</p><p>"Thanks. So do you," she murmured. Then she glanced up apologetically. "Sorry. I interrupted you on your way over to see Daphne and Fred."</p><p>Velma shook her head with a grin. "Don't worry about it," she replied. "I'll catch up with them later."</p><p>Marcie took a deep breath. "Listen," she sighed, not quite meeting Velma's gaze. "Maybe this isn't the best time, but I wanted to talk about…last weekend…"</p><p>Velma froze. They hadn't spoken about Marcie's secret admirer confession since the day Velma had been abducted. Of course, she'd known it would have only been a matter of time before they had to bring up everything that had happened last week, even if Velma had no idea what to say.</p><p>She thought she might as well start by trying to curb any awkwardness. "I'm not mad," Velma told her. "Really, I'm not."</p><p>"I know," Marcie assured her. "I just… I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry."</p><p>Velma furrowed her brow. This, she hadn't been expecting. "What are you sorry for?"</p><p>Marcie sighed. "I only told you about the notes so I could help you solve the mystery. But I really never wanted you to know that it was me."</p><p>Now that she thought about it, it was a bit odd that Marcie had never told Velma about her feelings during the two months that the gang had been apart. Though she thought she might know the reason, Velma still asked, "Why?"</p><p>Marcie finally turned to gaze at her. "You know why," she responded softly.</p><p>Now it was Velma's turn to look away. Several moments passed before she finally spoke again. "I'm…just confused," she admitted.</p><p>"About what?" asked Marcie.</p><p>Velma bit her lip. "My feelings." Velma had always been a logical person, relying more on her brain than her heart in times of crisis. She figured it was best to be honest with Marcie about this. "I mean…" she continued. "I'd never really thought about you like that before. I'd never thought about <em>anyone </em>like that, besides…Shaggy." Her breath hitched when she said his name, but she pressed on. "Your confession last week just surprised me. And I didn't give myself a chance to really think about what it meant for me. I think it just…might have been too soon. But give me some time, and – "</p><p>Marcie held up her hand. "Remind me again why you didn't come to prom with him?"</p><p>Velma shook her head. "I'm sure he's still angry at me."</p><p>Marcie frowned. "Why would he be angry at you?"</p><p>Velma scoffed incredulously. "I made him choose between me and Scooby, Marce. If he hasn't forgiven me for that yet, I honestly don't blame him. He can take as much time as he needs. And if he never gets there…" Velma swallowed as her heart twisted sickeningly. "Then that's okay," she finished quietly.</p><p>Marcie just looked at her skeptically.</p><p>Velma shook her head. "Look…Shaggy's home with Scooby. Don't worry about him – he made his choice."</p><p>"But so did you," Marcie said softly. "A long time ago. And I know it's not me. And that's okay. It really is."</p><p>Her voice was sincere, but Velma still felt bad. She exhaled slowly.</p><p>"I really do like you, Marcie," she told her, feeling her face flush a little.</p><p>Marcie nodded. "I know. I like you too." She looked at Velma seriously. "But you <em>love</em> him."</p><p>Velma said nothing.</p><p>Marcie shrugged. "Am I wrong?"</p><p>Velma sighed, thinking about the way Shaggy made her laugh. And about the way she felt when they made eye contact across a room. She thought about the way her fingers tingled when she touched him, and the way her whole body felt electric wherever he kissed her. She didn't understand it – she never really had. But it was true. It had been all along.</p><p>"No, you're right," she admitted quietly. "I know it doesn't make any logical sense but…I'm in love Shaggy. I always have been." She glanced up apologetically. "I'm sorry, Marcie."</p><p>Marcie just looked at her kindly. "You can't help who you love, V. It doesn't matter if it's logical – it's okay to trust your heart sometimes. To be honest, your feelings make perfect sense to me. The two of you have been through so much together… I don't think I could ever have the kind of bond with you that you have with him." She smiled slightly. "Besides, you could do worse."</p><p>Velma sighed again, full of remorse for what she'd lost. If she'd never asked Shaggy to choose between her and Scooby, maybe he'd be here with her. But asking him to make that choice was unforgiveable, and she knew it. It was her own fault they'd broken up. She deserved this loneliness, this heartbreak. "It doesn't matter," she murmured. "It's over between us anyway." She glanced back towards Daphne and Fred who were now laughing together as they danced. She was watching them so closely that she didn't notice Tony eavesdropping nearby, typing quickly on his phone.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>"Scoob!" Shaggy called from the living room. "Like are you coming? I've got the movie all set up."</p><p>"Rokay, Raggy," Scooby called back. They were having a guy's night in, watching Vincent Van Ghoul movies and, of course, eating. Scooby was currently gathering bags of chips and bowls of popcorn which Shaggy had prepared.</p><p>
  <em>Bzzt bzzt</em>
</p><p>Scooby paused as he started to leave the kitchen and turned back towards the sound. Shaggy had left his cellphone on the countertop, and Scooby saw that the screen had lit up with a text message.</p><p>
  <strong>Tony Moretti: dude, dinks is in love with you. i just heard her tell fleachy. look, i'm not one to meddle, not like you guys, and i know i said i wouldn't take sides, but i'm taking sides here. i think you two deserve to be happy together. please come to prom</strong>
</p><p>Scooby stared at the message. He'd known that the prom was tonight, but Shaggy hadn't given any clear reason for why he wasn't going. He hadn't realized that Velma was the factor. It occurred to Scooby that he'd never asked Shaggy point-blank about <em>why</em> he'd kept his relationship with Velma a secret, or why they'd even broken up in the first place. It was clear now that Shaggy was more upset about his breakup with Velma than he was letting on – and suddenly, Scooby had a reason why that might be. If Shaggy was in love with her too…</p><p>Scooby hesitated, glancing back into the living room where Shaggy sat fiddling with the remote. He watched him for a while, looking back and forth between the living room and the phone. Then he made up his mind and headed out of the kitchen, balancing the snacks on his back.</p><p>"Here roo go," Scooby said as Shaggy reached forward to place the snacks on the coffee table.</p><p>"Like thanks, buddy," Shaggy replied.</p><p>Scooby paused. "Raggy," he said quietly. "Rast year…rhy ridn't you rell me rabout Relma?"</p><p>Shaggy froze. Scooby just gazed at him solemnly. Then, Shaggy sighed. He'd lied enough. It was time for the truth.</p><p>"I was like, worried about how you'd take it," he admitted. "I mean, I know that you were always like, rolling your eyes or whatever when Fred and Daphne were…you know." Shaggy flushed, embarrassed to be talking about this. "I didn't want you to get mad." He chuckled humorlessly. "Like, fat lot of good that did me, huh?"</p><p>"Rye rasn't mad rabout that," Scooby told him.</p><p>Shaggy furrowed his brow. "Like what are you talking about? Yes you were. You said so like, the day the gang split up."</p><p>"Rye rasn't mad rabout Relma," Scooby clarified.</p><p>The two gazed at each other for a moment, and understanding suddenly washed over Shaggy.</p><p>"You like, weren't mad about my relationship with her," he realized. "You were mad that I lied to you about it."</p><p>Scooby nodded and Shaggy leaned forward on his elbows to bury his head in his hands. They were silent for a few moments.</p><p>"Scoob like, I'm sorry," he murmured after a while. He realized he'd never really apologized – not to him, not to Fred or Daphne. Certainly not to Velma. Shame rushed through him, and he groaned. "I wish I'd never lied to you – any of you, but like <em>especially </em>you. She like, kept saying that I needed to tell you about us, that it would be worse the longer I waited." He shook his head. "She was right."</p><p>He sighed and looked up to gaze at Scooby mournfully. "I should have listened to her," he muttered. "I just…I was like, so worried about losing <em>you</em> that I never really thought about how I would feel if I lost <em>her</em>."</p><p>"Roo'll rever lose re, Raggy," Scooby told him. The idea was ridiculous…a girl coming between them? Not likely. Especially if the girl in question was Velma. "Resides…roo can rix it." Scooby went back into the kitchen and returned with Shaggy's cellphone and a Scooby Snack.</p><p>Shaggy stared at the screen and read Tony's text. Scooby saw his lips moving as he read the words.</p><p>"She…like she's in love with me?" he murmured, blinking in disbelief at the message.</p><p>Scooby gazed at Shaggy and indicated the Scooby Snack with his tail. Shaggy glanced at it, its meaning clear. The Scooby Snack had always been a symbol of bravery, of courage. And now the time had come for Shaggy to conquer his fear once and for all.</p><p>He gulped it down and stood up.</p><p>"Like Scoob, you still have that bowtie collar?" he asked.</p><p>"Reah," Scooby replied, feeling a grin overtake his face.</p><p>But Shaggy just looked resolute and serious. "Go get it," he said. "We're like, going to the prom."</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>Red Herring and Maureen Fischer were crowned Prom King and Queen, which might have bothered Daphne in another lifetime. Tonight she couldn't care less about popularity contests. She was dancing with Fred, the great love of her life, and being in his arms like this was only thing that mattered to her.</p><p>"Is this how you always pictured our prom?" Daphne asked him, gazing up into his bright blue eyes.</p><p>Fred smiled, but shrugged. "Mostly. I always pictured you as my date."</p><p>Daphne stood on her toes to kiss him. "I did, too," she told him softly.</p><p>Fred's face fell slightly. "There is one thing I wish was different," he confessed.</p><p>"What?" asked Daphne.</p><p>Fred frowned. "I'm sorry I couldn't get us a hotel room. I know that we'd been talking about…you know…"</p><p>But Daphne just shook her head and wrapped her arms more tightly around him. She couldn't pretend like she wasn't disappointed that their original plan wasn't going to happen, but Fred already felt so guilty. She didn't want him to feel any worse. "Freddie, please don't worry about that," she begged. "We'll have time. I'm just happy that we're here now. Together."</p><p>They shared another kiss as the song ended.</p><p>"All right everybody," Julie said from the stage. "It's been pretty fast-paced this evening, so we're getting ready to slow things down a bit. Right now might be a good time to ask that special someone to dance." She grinned out at the students as couples began wafting their way towards the dance floor. Fred and Daphne were already out there, but he drew her in closer so she could lay her head on his chest and sway gently to the music. Priya had begun to play a low, slow ballad on the piano, and the notes resonated through Daphne's whole body.</p><p>Daphne sighed. "This is so romantic."</p><p>"Yeah," Fred agreed, murmuring into her hair.</p><p>Daphne closed her eyes. "This really <em>is</em> how I've always pictured prom, you know? Us here, on the dance floor. Just you and me…"</p><p>"…And Scooby!"</p><p>"What?" Daphne's eyes shot open and she glanced off in the direction that Fred was staring. A dog in a blue bowtie collar had just entered the gymnasium, closely followed by a tall, lanky young man in a dark tuxedo.</p><p>"Jeepers," Daphne murmured. "That is Scooby. And…Shaggy!" He had combed his hair, so Daphne hadn't recognized him right away. Shaggy was here? At prom? But why?</p><p>Understanding what must be going on, Daphne pulled away from Fred just enough to look around the gym. "Freddie, where's Velma?"</p><p>Julie began to sing.</p><p>"<em>Heart beats fast,</em></p><p>
  <em>Colors and promises."</em>
</p><p>"Rogers!"</p><p>Shaggy and Scooby had barely entered the gym when Tony Moretti sprinted towards them. "You made it!" Tony seemed relieved.</p><p>"Like where is she?" Shaggy asked, ignoring any pleasantries.</p><p>Tony's brow creased. "I don't know. I lost track of her after I texted you. She was with Fleachy last I saw her, but Fleachy left a little while ago."</p><p>"Velma didn't leave too, did she?" Shaggy asked frantically.</p><p>Tony shrugged, worried. "I'm not sure."</p><p>"<em>How to be brave?</em></p><p>
  <em>How can I love when I'm</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Afraid to fall?"</em>
</p><p>"Raggy!" Scooby barked suddenly, gesturing across the gym. Shaggy and Tony both turned and beyond the dance floor, sitting by herself on the bleachers, was Velma. She looked stunning, radiant, bright as the sun. Shaggy felt his heart climb into his throat, beating wildly.</p><p>Julie sang.</p><p>"<em>But watching you stand alone</em></p><p>
  <em>All of my doubt</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly goes away somehow."</em>
</p><p>Tony clapped Shaggy on the shoulder. "You can do this, man."</p><p>Scooby nodded and gazed up at him seriously. "Go ret her, Raggy."</p><p>"<em>One step closer…"</em></p><p>Fortified by their words and the Scooby Snack, Shaggy nodded and started across the room.</p><p>"<em>I have died every day</em></p><p>
  <em>Waiting for you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Darling, don't be afraid,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I have loved you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a thousand years</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'll love you for a thousand more."</em>
</p><p>Velma still hadn't noticed Shaggy coming towards her, but he was suddenly overcome with doubt and fear. What the hell was he doing? This was insane. He wasn't one for making grand gestures like this and besides, it wasn't going to change anything anyway. There was no way Velma would take him back after everything he'd put her through. He stopped walking midway across the room, right in front of the stage where the band stood.</p><p>"What's he doin?" Tony demanded, glancing at Scooby. "Why'd he stop?"</p><p>"Re's scared," Scooby replied quietly. He'd recognize that terrified look anywhere.</p><p>Velma, still unaware of Shaggy's presence, sighed and got up from the bleachers. She began making her way towards the exit, taking the long way around the dance floor. Shaggy did nothing except turn to watch her go.</p><p>From their spot on the dance floor, Fred and Daphne watched them cautiously, still holding each other. "Daph," Fred began. "Should we…?"</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "No. Look." She pointed up to the stage. Fred followed her gaze.</p><p>Julie was the lone member of Heavy Meddle who had noticed Shaggy. In the short instrumental space between verses, she glanced between him and Velma, and realized what was happening.</p><p>Shaggy sensed Julie's eyes on him and turned back to glance up at her. She sang.</p><p>"<em>Time stands still</em></p><p>
  <em>Beauty in all she is.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I will be brave,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I will not let anything take away</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What's standing in front of me.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Every breath,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Every hour has come to this."</em>
</p><p>It was ironic, thought Shaggy, that Julie had so wanted to help him all those months ago, and now she was without quite realizing how. Shaggy turned back to gaze at Velma's retreating form and let the lyrics of the song embolden him. He was tired of doing nothing, tired of pretending that Velma didn't mean as much to him as she did. He loved her, and he needed her to know that – whether she wanted him back or not.</p><p>"<em>One step closer…"</em></p><p>He doubled back. "Velma!" he called.</p><p>Velma suddenly turned at the sound of her name. She almost hadn't recognized the handsome young man striding towards her. "Shaggy?" she murmured in disbelief.</p><p>"<em>I have died every day</em></p><p>
  <em>Waiting for you."</em>
</p><p>"What are you doing here?" she asked as he drew closer.</p><p>"Like, setting things right," he told her.</p><p>"<em>Darling, don't be afraid</em></p><p>
  <em>I have loved you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a thousand years."</em>
</p><p>Shaggy suddenly realized he had no idea what to say. He didn't have a plan. What was he going to do? <em>Like, I guess I'll just open my mouth and let out whatever comes to me, </em>he decided. "Look," he said aloud. "I am so sorry. Like, I was an idiot. I <em>am </em>an idiot."</p><p>"<em>I'll love you for a thousand more."</em></p><p>"I never apologized for like, any of the shit I put you through," Shaggy continued as Julie continued to sing in the background. "I'm sorry that I always made you feel like you didn't matter to me, because that's not how I feel at all<em>.</em> You…you <em>do </em>matter. You matter so goddamn much to me, Velma. That's why it hurt so bad when we broke up. I like, can't even begin to explain to you how much I regret that."</p><p>"<em>And all along I believed</em></p><p>
  <em>I would find you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Time has brought your heart to me</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I have loved you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a thousand years.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'll love you for a thousand more."</em>
</p><p>There was an instrumental break in the song now, and Shaggy was afraid that if he stopped talking for even a second, he would lose his nerve completely. So he kept going. "I was <em>miserable </em>– just ask Scoob. But like, I couldn't choose between the two of you. It's impossible. Scooby Doo is my best friend, and…you just like, can't be what he is to me." Shaggy took Velma's hands. "But he can't be what you are to me either."</p><p>The moment their hands touched, such a familiar feeling flooded through Shaggy that it was almost palpable. From the look on Velma's face, he was sure she'd felt it too. It fortified him, and he didn't take his eyes off her.</p><p>"Every single good thing that's happened to me since I moved here…the gang, our friendships…it's like, all been because of you. You've made me like, better and braver than I ever thought I could be, and I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to tell you, but…like…" He glanced away briefly and swallowed, almost chickening out. But he steeled himself, took a deep breath, and finally said the thing that he'd been wanting to say to her for months.</p><p>"I love you, Velma." He looked into her eyes again, his gaze soft. "I'm in love with you."</p><p>Velma stared at him, slack jawed, hardly daring to believe her ears.</p><p>Shaggy loved her.</p><p>He was <em>in love</em> with her.</p><p>And he was admitting it, out loud, in front of everybody.</p><p>Could it be possible that he'd forgiven her for everything? Was she dreaming? She'd never seen him more sincere.</p><p>Unbeknownst to either of them, eyes from all over the room – Fred's, Daphne's, Scooby's, Tony's, Julie's – were boring into them. But Velma didn't see any of them. She only saw Shaggy.</p><p>"<em>One step closer…" </em>sang Julie.</p><p>As Velma stared into Shaggy's eyes, she remembered Marcie's advice from earlier in the evening. <em>It's okay to trust your heart sometimes. </em>And now, in response to Shaggy's words, it felt like her heart was swelling up to fill her entire ribcage.</p><p>Overwhelmed, Velma blinked back tears, but her voice still shook with emotion when she confessed in a whisper, "I love you too, Shaggy."</p><p>"<em>One step closer…"</em></p><p>Shaggy only paused for a fraction of a second. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Scooby Doo across the room. But the dog wasn't scowling, or frowning, or looking betrayed. He was smiling proudly. A blessing that Shaggy had never really needed, but craved anyway. Shaggy and Velma had finally confessed their love for each other, and the world hadn't come crashing down around them. In fact, it appeared to have mended itself.</p><p>Shaggy looked back at Velma, eyes shining. Then, instinctively, he bent his face towards her and she stood on her toes. And at last, their lips met in a soft, tender kiss.</p><p>"<em>I have died every day</em></p><p>
  <em>Waiting for you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Darling, don't be afraid</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I have loved you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a thousand years</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'll love you for a thousand more."</em>
</p><p>They didn't notice Julie clench her fist in victory from the stage, or Tony sigh in relief, or Fred and Daphne grip each other happily and engage in a kiss of their own. They didn't notice the confused and awed glances of some of the couples around them, the raised eyebrows or romantic grins. They were only aware of each other – Velma's hand on Shaggy's jaw, Shaggy's arms around Velma's waist, and the feel of their first kiss in a very long time.</p><p>Julie was still smiling victoriously as she sang.</p><p>"<em>And all along, I believed</em></p><p>
  <em>I would find you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Time has brought your heart to me</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I have loved you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a thousand years</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'll love you for a thousand more."</em>
</p><p>As the song ended, Shaggy and Velma broke apart, still staring at each other.</p><p>Then Shaggy said, "Oh no."</p><p>"What?" asked Velma, confused.</p><p>Shaggy frowned. "Like does this mean that the <em>Twilight </em>song is <span>our</span> song now?"</p><p>Velma laughed out loud before she could stop herself. Shaggy was such a goofball, even a confession of love couldn't change that part of him. Somehow, this solidified Velma's feelings in a way she hadn't realized. It didn't make logical sense. But maybe it didn't have to. Maybe she just loved him. This simple realization made her feel lighter than air, and she leaned into him, still laughing giddily.</p><p>Shaggy laughed too, pleased and thrilled by the simple fact of her laughter. The laughter of this girl that he loved more than any other was the best sound in the world to him. As she leaned into him, he brought his arms around her, chuckling into her sweet-smelling hair for a moment. Then he pulled back from her slightly and traced the line of her freckled cheekbone with his thumb.</p><p>Their lips met again, and it felt like coming home.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Pomp and Circumstance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You GUYS! It's the FINAL CHAPTER OF THE THREEQUEL, can you believe it? Let's cut right to the chase! Warnings: language and kissing. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 17: Pomp and Circumstance</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>One week later…</em>
</p><p>Scooby Doo sat in the bleachers with Shaggy's parents, staring down proudly into the football field below. More than a hundred chairs had been set up in front of a makeshift stage with a podium. The people in the chairs all wore blue graduation gowns and caps – "mortarboards," as Velma had called them. Principal O'Donovan was at the podium on the stage in the middle of a long and winded commencement address that was boring Scooby just a bit. He let his eyes wander through the crowd of students below and easily found each member of the gang. Shaggy had helped them all decorate their caps with the Mystery Machine's design, so they easily stood out.</p><p>Scooby gazed down at them, beaming with pride for all they'd accomplished. Each member of the gang had received recognition in their best subjects at senior awards night earlier this week, and they each had a medal or cord to indicate it. Shaggy had won a few art awards, and Daphne had received commendations from the drama department. Fred had gotten an award in physics, and Velma of course had gotten cords in several subjects. A few of their other friends had received honors as well, including Marcie Fleach who received the prestigious Cassidy Williams Biology Scholarship.</p><p>"And now," said Principal O'Donovan, beaming from his podium on the stage. "Introducing this year's valedictorian. This student has excelled not only in academics, but in endeavors outside the classroom as well. Her grade point average is the most impressive that Coolsville High has seen in decades. Everything she's done during her time as a student here has been exceptional, all the more so because she is the youngest graduate we've ever had. Everyone, your valedictorian: Velma Dinkley."</p><p>Applause scattered throughout the audience as a beaming Velma took the stage. She, like everyone else in her class, wore a blue cap and gown, and along with her chords, she also wore a stoll with the phrase "Valedictorian" adorning her graduation outfit. She glanced out at her classmates, finding that Fred, Daphne, and Shaggy were all grinning broadly back at her.</p><p>Velma took a deep breath and glanced down at her speech on the podium.</p><p>"A quote from Winston Churchill," she began. "'Fear is a reaction…courage is a decision.'"</p><p>She glanced back out at the graduates.</p><p>"If any of you have taken Spanish with Sra. Rodriguez, you'll know that she asks you to choose a Spanish name for yourself at the beginning of the year. For the past four years, I have been <em>Valencia </em>in her classroom, a name which means <em>strength. </em>I never thought it was particularly accurate to me. I'm small and scrawny, and while I'm bold in some endeavors, I'm weak in many others. It takes strength to be brave, but sometimes I let myself instead be crushed by my insecurities, and the uncertainty takes over.</p><p>"It's no secret that all of us here today have experienced scary or trying times in our tenure at Coolsville High. We've had future-defining moments that tested our bravery and our resolve. Perhaps they were academic…or perhaps they were personal. Even as we sit here right now, many of us are nervous about our futures. Whether or not we're college-bound, an era of our lives are coming to an end. Everything familiar is segueing into uncertain territory. The future is coming, whether we're ready for it or not. And that is frightening.</p><p>"But I've learned some tried-and-true methods of dealing with fear and uncertainty in these past few years. And in the interest of class unity, I'd like to share them with you. First: play to your strengths."</p><p>Here, Velma's eyes found Daphne's in the crowd, and saw that the redhead was holding back tears. Velma grinned softly at her and continued.</p><p>"Only you know what you're best at – communicating, deducing, reading other people. Whatever it is, your strengths will help you determine the best way make the decisions necessary to overcome your fear.</p><p>"The next thing I've learned, is to try to have a plan."</p><p>Fred's eyes crinkled in a smile as Velma turned her gaze on him.</p><p>"Even if it doesn't work, visualizing the outcomes of what you'd like to happen may help you feel more in control of your situation, and alleviate your uncertainty."</p><p>Velma found Shaggy in the seats, and she bit her lip. They shared a watery smile.</p><p>"Next," she said, her voice trembling a bit. "Don't be afraid to run." She continued to look at Shaggy as she went on. "It doesn't mean you have to give up. But getting away from the situation, even just for a little while, might help you keep a clear head so you can come back to it later, fresh, and ready to take it on."</p><p>Shaggy's heart swelled with love and pride for Velma. She'd been really nervous about her valedictory speech, but she was doing a great job. He watched as her eyes left his and searched the crowd in the stadium surrounding them. When Velma's smile widened, Shaggy knew that she'd found Scooby in the stands.</p><p>"And finally," she murmured. "Remember that you don't have to do it alone." She glanced back out at her fellow students. "We all have people in our corners – friends, family, teachers, colleagues. Pets." Here she shot another cursory glance up at Scooby Doo, and the members of Mystery Incorporated chuckled to themselves. "Whoever your people are," Velma went on. "You belong to each other. And having a bond like that can make you feel invincible. So count on them when you need to, because it's so much easier to decide to be brave when you have other people on your side."</p><p>She smiled back out into the graduates. "My time here at Coolsville High did a lot for me, as I'm sure it did for all of us. But the best thing it did for me was introduce me to the people who helped me decide on courage, and through them, I finally lived up to my Spanish name. I found my strength in them. The people we love make us who we are, and mine made me better and braver than I ever thought I could be." She and Shaggy shared another smile at the words he'd said at prom. Velma looked directly at him as she said, "I would not be the person I am today without these people. And for that I am eternally grateful."</p><p>She smiled widely out at the audience. "So let's meet our future head-on. Let's decide on courage. Let's choose to be brave. And when we can't, let's take solace in the fact that we are not alone."</p><p>As Velma left the podium, applause rang out. On her way back to her seat she caught sight of several of her classmates and friends – Tony cheering, Macie grinning, Fred clapping enthusiastically, Daphne wiping away tears, and Shaggy whistling through his fingers. She looked up into the stands and saw Scooby beaming at her proudly.</p><p>It was over. She'd done it. All that was left now was to walk across the stage and turn her tassel around.</p><p>Velma felt elated and empty all at once.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>The Dinkleys weren't normally a family for throwing parties, but Velma felt that her high school graduation was a big enough event to merit a celebration. Not only were the gang and their families there that evening, but Dottie, Bill, and Lorelei had flown out from Seattle, as well as several aunts and uncles, plus many of her classmates. The graduation ceremony had been in the morning, but it took most of the afternoon for Velma and her family to get their small house ready for all their guests. Thankfully, everything was in place by the time they showed up.</p><p>It was a warm June evening, perfect for sitting outside. Velma shared a patio bench with Shaggy while Daphne and Fred sat beside them on another bench. Scooby happily walked around the backyard begging for food from anyone who would give into his charms (which was basically everyone). Fireflies flickered by as people talked and laughed all around the yard, anywhere they could grab a seat. Velma felt so content.</p><p>"You know, I was thinking I might hang my tassel on the rearview mirror of the Mystery Machine," Fred said, one arm around Daphne.</p><p>Tony grinned – he sat on a lawn chair nearby. "Do you know the official name for a graduation tassel?"</p><p>"It has an official name?" asked Marcie, who was also sitting with them. "One that's not just 'graduation tassel?'"</p><p>Tony's eyes widened. "Wait, hold up. There's something <em>I</em> know that <em>you</em> don't?"</p><p>Marcie shoved him good-naturedly. "Just tell us already."</p><p>Tony smiled wider, seemingly on the verge of laughter. "The technical term for it in the olden days…" he said grandly. "…was a 'liripoop.'"</p><p>Fred burst out laughing and Daphne stared at Tony, an incredulous grin overtaking her face. "You're making that up," she accused him.</p><p>"No I'm not," Tony promised, still grinning. "Joey told me." He grinned across the yard, where Joey, Julie, Felix, and Priya chatted and laughed together, unaware that the gang was talking about them.</p><p>Velma giggled and pulled out her phone to fact-check her friend. "Liripoop," she read aloud. "A pendent part of the old clerical tippet; afterwards, a tippet; a scarf; - worn also by doctors, learned men etc."</p><p>"Or women," Daphne scoffed.</p><p>"Actually," said Marcie, glancing over Velma's shoulder. "The thing this describes is not a graduation tassel – this would be more like a hood that you wear when you get a doctorate degree."</p><p>"And the dictionary says it's an obsolete term anyway," Velma pointed out.</p><p>Tony shook his head. "I shoulda known I couldn't outsmart you guys. That'll teach me for trusting anything my brother tells me." He shook his fist in mock frustration at Joey, who didn't notice. "You lied to me, you bastard!"</p><p>"There's like another definition," Shaggy chuckled, glancing at Velma's phone. "Apparently it can also mean 'a silly person.'"</p><p>Tony shook his fist at Joey again. "You lied to me, you liripoop!"</p><p>Everyone burst into laughter that lasted for several minutes.</p><p>"So," said Tony once they'd all calmed down. He jerked his head towards Dottie, who was bouncing Lorelei on her knee several feet away. "Did you tell her about…you know?"</p><p>Velma sighed and nodded. "Yeah. My parents told her. I was right – she barely remembered Leon. I had to show her his picture in her yearbook before she remembered who he was."</p><p>"I heard his bail hearing's coming up," Fred told them. "Sheriff Stone told my dad."</p><p>"He won't make bail, right?" Daphne suddenly looked worried. "They'll remand him, won't they?"</p><p>Velma shrugged. "It depends on how good his lawyer is."</p><p>Scooby returned just then and, upon realizing what they were discussing, made a face.</p><p>"Can we not talk about this?" asked Marcie, who noticed Scooby's grim expression. "It's a party – we're here to have a good time."</p><p>"You said it, Marce," Fred said. "We have a whole summer ahead of us!" He pulled Daphne to him with one arm and softly kissed the side of her head.</p><p>"Like yeah we do," Shaggy agreed, taking Velma's hand and sharing a smile with her. Scooby grinned as well and sat down at their feet.</p><p>At that moment, Mayor Jones suddenly clinked his glass and everyone stopped talking. He smiled proudly at the gang as everyone in the yard turned to face him.</p><p>"I would like to make a toast," he began. "At the senior awards night earlier this week, when all of you received scholarships, honors, and awards, there was one comendation that I felt was overlooked. Your academic and extracurricular achievements are all impressive and you should all feel very proud of everything you've accomplished. However, as the mayor of Coolsville, I'd like to take a minute to recognize how much you've accomplished for this town.</p><p>"Coolsville, Ohio has long been plagued by the stuff of legends – ghosts, monsters, vampires, zombies. And until about two years ago, it seemed that there wasn't much we could do about it. But then four of the bravest young people I've known, and their equally courageous dog decided to put a stop to it.</p><p>"Since the formation of Mystery Incorporated, Coolsville has become the safe place that I knew in my boyhood – the kind of town I feel proud to be mayor of. Though it's not always obvious, the sheriff's office and the citizens of this town greatly appreciate everything you've done to make Coolsville crime-free – sometimes at the expense of your own safety. Your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed."</p><p>His voice quavered with emotion at this last sentence, and he cleared his throat before he continued.</p><p>"So here's to our children, to their strong moral understanding of right and wrong that helps them do this necessary work. Here's to their friendships with each other, and their commitment to Coolsville. Here's to their thoughtfulness, their ingenuity, and their detective skills. Here's to Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and of course, Scooby Doo."</p><p>The mayor's eyes glistened as he gazed proudly at each member of the gang.</p><p>"Cheers to Mystery Incorporated."</p><p>Everyone in the yard took whatever beverage receptacles they had and held them aloft, and the gang embraced one another on their benches, smiling hugely.</p><p>x.X.x</p><p>A little while later, the conversations had started up again, and at the behest of Tony and Marcie, the gang were talking about a few of their favorite past cases.</p><p>"You know what I just remembered," said Fred. "The first mystery we ever solved was right in those woods." He gestured with his head to the forest behind Velma's house.</p><p>Velma grinned. "Yeah, I used to pass by that old oak tree all the time whenever I snuck over to Shaggy's house." What a relief to finally be able to talk freely about this. She glanced at him and they shared a conspiratorial grin.</p><p>"Like do you think the secret passage is still there?" asked Shaggy.</p><p>Daphne shook her head. "No, they filled it in after we discovered the counterfeiter's hideout, remember?"</p><p>"Roh, right," said Scooby.</p><p>"Could we see it anyway?" asked Tony, gesturing to himself and Marcie. "I'd love to see where Mystery Inc got its start."</p><p>"So would I," Marcie added.</p><p>"Sure, let's go for a walk," Fred said, rising.</p><p>"A ralk?!" Scooby exclaimed excitedly.</p><p>Everyone chuckled and began trekking through the woods.</p><p>As they walked, Velma suddenly groaned.</p><p>"What is it?" asked Shaggy, looking at her in alarm. Everyone stopped walking.</p><p>She shook her head and closed her eyes. "I just remembered something embarrassing."</p><p>"Rhat?" asked Scooby.</p><p>"After we caught the Wendigo two years ago, we were on our way back to my house and we were talking about continuing to solve mysteries, do you remember that?"</p><p>"Of course," said Daphne. "It was the best week of my life at the time, and I was so happy you all felt the same way."</p><p>"And then Shag asked if we should keep solving mysteries and I said it would be almost irresponsible not to," Fred added.</p><p>Velma groaned softly again. "And then remember what happened next? I said that we shouldn't let any stupid fights get in our way." She glanced up at everyone. "Ironic, huh? I made a speech about the importance of peace, and then two years later, I caused a fight so big that we broke up."</p><p>"But we got back together," Fred pointed out. "We all did." He took Daphne's hand squeezed it gently.</p><p>"Still, I'm never going to forgive myself," Velma sighed. "I almost ruined us forever."</p><p>Shaggy put an arm around her. "I like, honestly don't think there's a force huge enough for that."</p><p>"Reah," Scooby agreed, leaning his head against her leg.</p><p>Daphne nodded. "If I can forgive Leesa Beamer for sabotaging <em>Next to Normal </em>on purpose, I can certainly forgive you for accidentally taking out your anger on us." She squeezed her friend's shoulder. "You're not the only one who found strength in this group. I wouldn't be who I am today without you all either. Our friendship is so much stronger than anything life could throw at us. We're untouchable, Velm. All of us."</p><p>Tony furrowed his brow in confusion. "Wait," he said. "Leesa Beamer <em>wasn't </em>just playing a prank last year?"</p><p>Daphne blushed. "Whoops. I wasn't supposed to say anything about that."</p><p>Everyone laughed, and they began walking again. Soon they arrived at the clearing where the old oak tree stood.</p><p>"So this is where it all began, huh?" asked Tony, looking around the clearing.</p><p>"Yep," said Fred. "I rigged up my very first trap in these trees." He scowled slightly. "It didn't quite work, though."</p><p>Daphne chuckled and leaned against him affectionately. "We caught the monster, at least. Thanks to Scooby."</p><p>"Scooby always saves the day," said Velma, smiling at the dog. She remembered all too well the way he'd come to her rescue in the fine arts library at Darrow Hall and was likely to never forget that harrowing escape.</p><p>Shaggy patted Scooby fondly, and the dog wagged his tail.</p><p>"Coolsville U will be lucky to have you mystery kids," Tony grinned.</p><p>One by one, everyone's faces fell, and they all glanced at each other.</p><p>Tony looked at them all concernedly. "What? What'd I say?"</p><p>Velma gazed at him. "Tony," she murmured. "We were all fighting on Decision Day…"</p><p>"Yeah. So…?" Tony blinked uncomprehendingly.</p><p>"So…" Daphne sighed. "We all sent in our letters of intent to different schools."</p><p>Understanding dawned in Tony's eyes as this hit.</p><p>"Oh…" he muttered.</p><p>"Yeah," Shaggy said softly.</p><p>Scooby gave a slight whimper.</p><p>Tony cleared his throat. "So ah…where's everyone goin' next year?"</p><p>"I'm staying here," Fred replied. "Coolsville University was the only place I applied."</p><p>Daphne raised a hand. "NYU. Majoring in Drama at Tisch."</p><p>"I'm like going to Roosevelt," Shaggy spoke up. "Culinary school. In like, Chicago."</p><p>Velma sighed. "And I'm going to study physics or chemical engineering at Stanford."</p><p>The silence settled upon them all for several moments.</p><p>"…Wow," Tony said finally, his voice very quiet.</p><p>Velma nodded. "Yeah. We're all really…going our separate ways."</p><p>There was another short silence before Fred cleared his throat. "Actually gang, I had a plan about that. We have all summer, right? Before we have to go off. What if we did a road-trip, to see everyone's colleges?" He shrugged. "I mean obviously we've already seen Coolsville U, but I'd love to go to New York."</p><p>Daphne grinned at him and snuggled into his shoulder.</p><p>"I've never been to Chicago," Velma said, smiling at Shaggy.</p><p>"And like, Stanford's not far from Vista Heights, where I grew up," he replied. "It'd be cool to show you guys around my old neighborhood."</p><p>Fred looked around. "What do you say, gang? One more ride with Mystery Incorporated?"</p><p>"Sounds good to me, babe," said Daphne, kissing him.</p><p>"Like me too!" Shaggy grinned.</p><p>Velma nodded enthusiastically.</p><p>Scooby smiled, feeling relieved. He had been so nervous that the gang would never get over their fight. But that fear seemed so far away now, in the wake of these plans for their last golden summer together. And Scooby knew that even after they went their separate ways, they would always have each other. Like Shaggy had said, there wasn't a force on this earth that was big enough to truly tear them apart.</p><p>They were a great group, his best friends, his favorite people in the world. And Scooby knew he was the luckiest dog in the world to have them.</p><p>"Rooby Rooby Roo!" he barked.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for reading! Please leave kudos or comments if you enjoyed! The final installment in the series will be announced next week on Tumblr and Fanfiction, so keep an eye out for it!</p>
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